Podcasts about Saeed Abedini

After Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979, some Christians faced persecution. Between 2002 and 2005, Naghmeh Panahi and her husband, Saeed Abedini, set up a network of secret 'house churches' across the country. But it came at a cost: they were arrested, forced to flee the country, and Saeed was jailed. Naghmeh Panahi speaks to Ben Henderson.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Naghmeh Panahi. Credit: Kyle Green/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Naghmeh Panahi was born into a Muslim family in Iran. From the age of two, Naghmeh witnessed a country at war. In 1979, Iran underwent an Islamic Revolution and then entered an 8-year war with Iraq which heavily involved the city of Tehran where Naghmeh grew up. Bombings and missiles were a daily occurrence. Walking to school meant walking through the rubble of friends' homes and entering a classroom of missing friends and painful memories. Eventually chemical warfare was used, and unimaginable side effects plagued the country. At an early age the horrors of war caused Naghmeh to seek God for answers about why he would allow such suffering. Naghmeh and her twin brother became steadfast in their pursuit of God. As Muslims they read the Quran, performed Islamic prayers, and fasted. Eventually, recruiters from the Iranian military began entering elementary schools and encouraging boys to enlist in the military, saying that if they died they would go to heaven because this was a holy war. The young boys were sent to the front lines to run through land mines so that the trained soldiers could safely follow after them. If parents objected to their children enlisting, they would be taken by the police and imprisoned for speaking against the government. With a young son in jeopardy, Naghmeh's family knew they must leave Iran. At the age of 9, Naghmeh and her family moved to San Jose, California. Within weeks of their arrival, Naghmeh and her twin brother discovered the God they had been looking for, Jesus Christ. They learned that through the death of Jesus Christ their sins were forgiven. They learned that they did not have to die in a holy war or do religious work in order to reach God, but instead God came in human flesh through the person of Jesus Christ. Most importantly they learned that Jesus loved them. Naghmeh and her twin brother became dedicated followers of Christ at the age of 9. Naghmeh's parents were furious when they found out that she had become a Christian and considered moving the family back to Iran. Instead of moving, Naghmeh's family was persuaded to move closer to family in Boise, ID where they hoped the seclusion of the area would provoke their children to return to Islam. Eventually their hearts softened after secretly reading a Bible they had taken from Naghmeh seven years earlier. They too became followers of Christ. https://www.tahriralnisa.org/ Naghmeh's hope was to be a missionary medical doctor in a third world country, so she became a pre-med student at the University of Puget Sound. Soon after September 11th, 2001 Naghmeh returned to Iran, this time as a Christian. This is when Naghmeh experienced the plight of Christians and religious minorities in Iran and also gained first-hand experience of the oppression and violence women are subjected to everyday in the Middle East. Her own life was in constant danger as a Christian convert from Islam. She was arrested by the Iranian revolutionary guards multiple times, and with guns pointed at her head was told to renounce her Christian faith or she would be raped and killed. She lived in constant fear of associating with other Christians because many times the house churches were raided, and her friends and fellow Christians were arrested and imprisoned. In 2002 Naghmeh met Saeed Abedini and helped start one of the largest house church movements in Iran. In 2004 she married Saeed, and by 2005 the house churches had grown to over 2,000 members in over 30 cities. As the house churches grew so did the persecution. Due to increased persecution and arrests Naghmeh and Saeed left Iran and returned to America where Naghmeh raised her two children Rebekka and Jacob in Idaho. In 2012, her husband, Saeed Abedini, was arrested while visiting Iran. Through God's grace Naghmeh was able to bring world-wide attention not only to Saeed's imprisonment in Iran, but also to the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide.

Naghmeh Abedini Pahani first made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then husband Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith. The story of “Pastor Saeed” became a global cause celebre, and Naghmeh was its primary spokesperson. But all was not well with Saeed and Naghmeh. When she finally revealed that she had endured years-long domestic abuse by Pastor Saeed, many Christian leaders who had previously used her to draw crowds at their conferences and events would turn their backs on her. Naghmeh lost confidence in some of the best known leaders in evangelicalism, but her faith in Jesus remained strong. Her new book is I Didn't Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse. On today's “Extra” episode we discuss this book and her journey through American evangelicalism. FINAL THOUGHTS Make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of February and receive a copy of Handling Allegations in a Ministry as our thank you gift. Just hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. Thanks to Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh for producing today's program. Until next time, may God bless you.

Naghmeh Abedini Panahi; ex-wife of Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith, returns. In this second of two broadcasts, Naghmeh discusses her new book, "I Didn't Survive, Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse." The following is a quote from her book in reference to when she exposed the physical and emotional abuse in her marriage: “By speaking up about Saeed's (her ex-husband's) abuse I was damaging the cause of Christ giving the church a bad reputation to the world… I was judged to be a liar, an adulteress, and a Jezebel, who was trying to take the lead in the family by drawing boundaries regarding the abuse. Many people were upset because they hadn't gotten the happy ending they had hoped for. Becoming an outcast of the church was devastating. I was left bare and bleeding by the side of the road, untouchable by religious leaders. I was advised by several prominent Christian leaders to backtrack my statements and cover up the abuse or I would no longer be useful for ministry. Covering it up meant moving forward with a book deal and a movie deal, continuing to receive invitations to speak and receiving the praise of the Christian community. Not covering it up meant losing everything." In this broadcast Mike and Naghmeh discuss the Great Coverup of sexual sin and abuse in the church.

Guest Bios Show Transcript https://youtu.be/RF-3TbX8fXAAs a Christian in Iran, Naghmeh Panahi was arrested numerous times—and once even had a gun pointed at her head. But as awful as that was, Naghmeh says she endured something far worse when she began speaking out about abuse from her husband. It was then that she faced persecution—not from radical Muslims, but from Christians. In this edition of The Roys Report, you're going to hear Julie's powerful interview at the Restore Conference with Naghmeh Panahi. Naghmeh was catapulted into the national spotlight in 2013, a year after her husband, Pastor Saeed Abedini, was imprisoned for his faith in Iran.  With the help of Franklin Graham of Samaritan's Purse and Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, Naghmeh launched the Save Saeed campaign. The campaign garnered worldwide attention. And it eventually led to Saeed's release in 2015. But during this time, Naghmeh learned that Saeed's violence, repeated insults, and spiritual manipulation were not just a sign of a bad marriage. It was abuse.  Yet, when she spoke out about the abuse, the backlash from Christians was virulent and cruel. And the psychological and spiritual damage from that backlash was far worse than anything Naghmeh said she encountered in Iran. In this interview, Naghmeh talks candidly about the abuse and the Christian community's failure to stand with victims. But she also talks about the persecuted church—and how the Western Church's failure to care for the abused and broken is not a bug but a feature.  Drawing from her book, aptly titled, I Didn't Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse, Naghmeh's message is a prophetic witness to the American church—if we will listen in and take heed.  In her talk, Naghmeh refers to recent books by Miriam Ibraheem and Lance Ford. Guests Naghmeh Panahi Naghmeh Panahi is an author, speaker, and Bible teacher. Naghmeh made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then-husband, Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith. Naghmeh's autobiography, I Didn't Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse, is available now. Learn more at NaghmehPanahi.com. Show Transcript SPEAKERSNAGHMEH PANAHI, Julie Roys Julie Roys  00:04As a Christian in Iran, Naghmeh Panahi was arrested numerous times and once even had a gun pointed at her head. But as awful as that was Naghmeh says she endured something far worse when she began speaking out about abuse from her husband. It was then that she faced persecution, not from radical Muslims, but from Christians. Welcome to The Roys Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys, and today you’re going to hear my powerful interview at the RESTORE conference with Naghmeh Panahi. Naghmeh was catapulted into the national spotlight when her husband, Pastor Saeed Abedini, was imprisoned for his faith in Iran. And with the help of Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse, and Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, Naghmeh launched the Save Saeed campaign. The campaign garnered worldwide attention and it eventually lead to Saeed’s release. But during this time, Naghmeh learned that Saeed’s violence, repeated insults, and spiritual manipulation was not just a sign of a bad marriage, it was abuse. Yet when she spoke out about the abuse, the backlash from Christians was virulent and cruel. And the psychological and spiritual damage from that backlash was far worse than anything Naghmeh said she encountered in Iran. In our interview, Naghmeh talks candidly about the abuse and the Christian community’s failure to stand with victims. But she also talks about the persecuted church and how the Western Church’s failure to care for the abused and broken is not a bug but a feature. I am so grateful for Naghmeh’s, prophetic witness to the American church, and I’m confident that God is using that witness both through podcasts like these, and in Naghmeh’s book aptly titled, I Didn’t Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution and Hidden Abuse.   Julie Roys  01:50 We’ll get to my interview with Naghmeh just a moment, but first, I’d like to thank the sponsors of this podcast, Judson University and Marquardt of Barrington if you’re looking for a top ranked Christian University, providing a caring community and an excellent college experience. Judson University is for you. Judson is located on 90 acres just 40 miles west of Chicago in Elgin, Illinois. The school offers more than 60 majors, great leadership opportunities, and strong financial aid. Plus, you can take classes online as well as in person. Judson University is shaping lives that shaped the world. For more information, just go to JUDSONU.EDU. Also, if you’re looking for a quality new or used car, I highly recommend my friends at Marquardt of Barrington. Marquardt is a Buick GMC dealership where you can expect honesty, integrity, and transparency. That’s because the owners there Dan and Kurt Marquardt are men of integrity. To check them out, just go to BUYACAR123.COM.   Julie Roys  02:56 Well, again, here’s my interview with Naghmeh Panahi on surviving persecution from the church. This is from our last RESTORE conference in October 2023.   Julie Roys  03:07 Let’s just start with a little bit of your story. And again, those of you who know her story, this may be familiar, but I know I learned a lot of new things. You were born in Iran. And the interesting thing is you got to see Iran before the revolution, and then after. Talk about what the change was in Iran when you when you saw that happen?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  03:29 Yeah, I was actually born soon, a few years before the revolution. So, my mom was one of the first women in the king’s army, as a woman, which was pretty radical for her time. And also just, you know, Iran has had Islam for about 1400 years, so not Islamic culture. And she was very proud woman with her gun and protecting the Shah, but also, you know, having authority in a sense that women usually didn’t have. So, my mom was kind of protecting the king from the revolution. My dad was actually one of the people that wanted the Islamic Revolution, because, before the revolution, people like my mom, were wearing miniskirts. And, you know, just like the US, they were free, and my dad and his group of people thought, you know, we’re becoming too westernized. And if we have an Islamic religious revolution, then the culture will be more purified. And so, I kind of grew up in chaos. I saw  tires burning, my mom going, and my nanny would cry, and is she going to come back? Cuz she was trying to defend against the protesters, and then my dad would be in the streets and there was different groups that were trying to take over the government. And they were all radical and there was a lot of people just been killed in the streets. And so, I kind of grew up in a very chaotic political atmosphere of where the country was becoming very Islamic. And so, I went to school I shared in my book, my photo from my school, elementary school and I looked at and I was the most covered up. Like some of the girls had their head covering a little back. Just from the photo, you can tell I was so afraid. I was told you can’t show hair and all this teaching that was like going through the schools about just Islam and how we had to cover up. And so, it was very foreign to me, having seen my mom without a covering, and then seeing her, she had to be all covered up and her rank  taken away from her. And she had to be in an office setting, as a woman couldn’t have any authority over men in any position of power. And so, I was noticing a lot of that changes and the fear that was gripping a lot of the woman. I would actually have a lot of dreams that I was walking in the streets in Iran without head covering, and I was being arrested. And that was one of my, a lot of the nightmares I had. But just the fear of having to cover up and right around the revolution right after there was a war with Iraq. So, I also grew up in war, we had bombs and missiles. And I was just flipping through my social media, and I saw a video with the sirens going off in Israel. And all of a sudden I had a panic attack, because I would hear those sirens all of the time, the bomb sirens and you have to go to shelter and not knowing if your house was going to be the next one that was bombed, or a missile would hit it, or a lot of the Iraqi soldiers were certain parts of Iran were attacking and raping and taking captives and women and children were being killed. And so, it’s brought back a lot of that memory as a child, even just hearing that siren was so hard to listen to.   Julie Roys  06:47 I’m thinking when you’re talking about being covered up your mother losing her rank, being afraid as a woman I mean, I’m thinking of Sheila’s talk yesterday. I mean, this is like modesty message on steroids. As a young girl, how did you internalize, did that make you feel different about you?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  07:04 Yeah, I was told as a seven-year-old at that time. Like when I went to school, I had to dress up, like cover up, I was told that I was sexually appealing to men.   Julie Roys  07:14  As a seven-year-old?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  07:16 That’s what I we had to once I went to school, like six, seven-year-old got to be fully covered. And people I know that had their relatives like their grandmother had married at the age of nine and their mother had married at the age of 12. Right now, we do work in Afghanistan, and since the Taliban has taken over these, as soon as the girl hits puberty, like nine, a lot of times 9-10, they’re being married and they’re now giving birth to babies at like 10, 11, 12. And so yeah, it’s unfortunately it was part of the culture. And as a little girl, you’re told that you had to cover up because it would be tempting to a man as a little seven-year-old. Which is interesting, because years later was like, the purity culture sounds very Islamic.   Julie Roys  08:05 So, your parents did leave. And it sounded like the impetus was the fear that your brother might get drafted in the army. And the little boys were basically sent out there to check where the landmines were right? So, I mean, it was almost certain death. So, your parents escaped out of there and came to the US, settled in Idaho, and then the story of how you became a believer is really phenomenal and interesting too, how your parents when you became a believer, that was not welcome.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  08:41 No. My mom was more of a moderate Muslim. My dad was very strong Muslim. Like he had his prayer life and fasting. I’d never in the Islamic Revolution world, I never heard of the name Jesus. And so, when we came to America, my twin brother who actually he got his doctorate at University of Chicago in quantum physics, and so he was not emotional growing up, and even with the war I was the more emotional one he was, the more like, questioning God. But he was crying like I’d never seen him emotionally. And he said, I know we question Who is God? Why is he allowing, we would see our classmates like their dead bodies in the street. The houses of the kids that we would play with,  completely gone. And we didn’t know if we were next. I mean, just growing up in war was just insane. And so, we had a lot of questions about God. And he came running to me one day when we’d just come to America, and he said, I found the God we’ve been looking for. His name is Jesus. And I was like, what? He had a vision, I guess he had seen Jesus and he said, he is all I felt was love. And I just know we have to find out who this Jesus is. And so that’s how we were saved. We were running around acting like crazy nine-year-olds, like who’s Jesus? And with our limited English, we found some people who, you know, spoke Farsi, and told us and gave us a Farsi Bible. And we thought our parents would be as excited as us. They were angry. My dad wanted us actually, to move us back to Iran. He said, it’s better if we die in the war. You’ve become Christian. You’ve lost your culture. You’ve lost everything. And my full name is Naghmeh Sharia Panahi. So, Sharia is Islamic law. Panahi means protector, so our last name meant protector of Islamic law. And so, my dad always prided himself like we’re related to the Prophet Mohammed, like the Prophet of Islam. And so, for him, for us to become Christian was like, the worst thing ever. And so, he was in the process of moving us back into a war with like chemical warfare. My brother was about to be signed up to go to like, run through the mines. And he didn’t seem to care. He thought us becoming Christian was like the worst thing that had happened.   Julie Roys  11:07 Unbelievable. And despite that, I mean, you would think as a nine-year-old, something like this happens, your parents don’t support it, it’ll be gone, it will be eradicated from your life. Why didn’t that happen?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  11:19 Yeah, my uncle, my uncle, who graduated from university in California, had found a job in Boise, Idaho. And he said, you know, let’s move them there. They’re only nine. It’s just a little feeling. They’re going to forget about this Jesus, you know. And as a nine-year-old, you want to please your parents. They’re all we had in the war. Like, they were our lifeline, and wanting to please them. And so, they thought he said, they’re going to forget about this Jesus. And we didn’t. I mean, it’s by grace of God, he kept our faith, our Bible was taken from us, me and my brother weren’t allowed to even pray together. My dad had a lot of fits of anger. Just a lot of it, we experienced a lot of persecution, anger in the home. And in Idaho, we were pretty much isolated. Try to forget about Jesus, and we didn’t, and it was not until we were from nine until 16-17, where my parents, I guess, were on their own journey. We didn’t know but they were on their own journey of finding Jesus. They were secretly reading the Bible they took from us. I didn’t know that at that time.   Julie Roys  12:26 When did they actually become believers?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  12:29 Right around as I was graduating, I could see they had softened. I would sneak out, as soon as I got my driver’s license, I would sneak out to a church. And I thought they didn’t know but they knew. And they were okay with it because they were reading the Bible. But they didn’t become Christians until I went to college. And when I came home, they were like, We believe we want to be baptized, from nine until 22.   Julie Roys  12:57 And why is it? I’ve always you hear this among Muslims so often, that they have these visions of Jesus, and they come to Jesus through that. I mean, it just seems to be a feature. Why do you think that is?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  13:14 I think that whoever cries out to God, anywhere in the world, God will make himself known. In Iran, you don’t have a lot of missionaries right now. And I would talk to people in Iran, I would talk to, and I would say, hey, I would talk to a woman, I’d say, Do you know who Jesus is? And they would start crying. And they would say, Yes, I saw him in a vision. Like, tell me more. My child was dying, and I cried out to God, and I said, help and Jesus appeared to me and said, I am the way the truth and the life, but they didn’t know much. They just knew that he’d healed their child, or he was the way the truth and the life. Like they knew little parts of who Jesus was. But it was really not hard to evangelize. That’s why I think when I returned to Iran, we saw such a revival because people already knew who Jesus was. They’d seen him in dreams and visions, and they’d already seen him move in ways that wasn’t, we weren’t trying to convince them. They were like, Yeah, we know him. He healed our child, or I saw him in a vision.   Julie Roys  14:15 Wow. So you went to college, were planning on becoming a doctor. You must have done quite well in school.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  14:23 I think coming from an immigrant family, you’re told you have no choice, lawyer, or doctor. We’re in America you have to pursue the American dream.   Julie Roys  14:33 Right. And probably the last place on earth you wanted to go was Iran and yet you ended up back in Iran.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  14:41 I did. My parents really struggle with that because I went right after September 11. And when no one wanted to get on an airplane, and no one wanted to fly into the Middle East. So, I had the whole airplane to myself flying into Iran, and President Bush was like there’s gonna be war in that region. And so, I just felt like God was like, this is the time to go, I’m going to change that land through the gospel. My fight is through the gospel is through love, you know, in Christ. And so, I didn’t know when I went back. And my parents thought I was crazy. I was about to take the MCAT like I was on the road to being a medical doctor. And I said, I need a break. I feel like God’s telling me to go to Iran  I didn’t know that I was going to be at the forefront of a revival. But I just knew God was like, You need to go now. And so, when I went, he allowed me to be at the forefront of revival and be part of leading one of the largest house church movements in Iran.   Julie Roys  15:46 And when you flew over there, was it on the plane, you get those cards, and you have to declare things?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  15:51 In Muslim countries, I don’t know why, but every single they have no shame about discrimination. Religious discrimination is like they don’t there’s like nothing. So, everything you fill out has religion, what’s your religion? So, that’s why Christians when people become Christians, they have to fill up. And because of their conscience, they can’t put Muslim. So, they put Christian so as soon as they put Christian, even like filling out a passport. If they write Christian, they’re arrested. They can’t work if they write Christian, if they’re not arrested, they can’t find job, or they can’t go to school, Christians are not allowed to go to school. And so even on the airplane immigration form, I had religion, and I knew my last name meant I was a Muslim. Like people could tell by your last name, you’re a Muslim, but I knew I was a Christian, I really struggle with that form. And it was right after September 11. And I was like, stepping into radical Iran that I had read about killing so many pastors and hanging them as an example. And I wrote down Muslim.   Julie Roys  16:57 And also because of your name, they would know that you were born Muslim, yeah. That you converted and that’s a major, major no, no.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  17:04 Yeah. I was fine by myself. And I mean, I just felt so bad. I felt like a Peter moment. I just there was so much fear, flying into Iran. And as a Christian, I’d never experienced that. Anyway, I had left Iran as a Muslim. God was allowing me to go back as a Christian and to experience what it meant to really understand the persecuted church. And so yeah.   Julie Roys  17:30 So, you get into Iran. Talk about the church and the, you know, the way the house church movement was going and also about this very charismatic pastor that you saw over there named Saeed.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  17:43 Saeed. Yeah, so I grew up in the purity movement. I was like, when I went to Iran, I was 24. I hadn’t dated I was told first hold, holding hand or first kiss had to be with someone you married. I had some people pursued me in college, good Christian guys that I was like, nope. And so, I hadn’t really experienced  anything. And Iran had right now they don’t they had some building churches, that they allowed the Armenians to conduct church, because the Armenian people are considered Christians. They’re not converting. They were like, they have been Christians for generations. So Iranian government allows for religious freedom for the Armenians to conduct church. They weren’t allowed to let Muslims in like Persians. Persians are, you know, have been Muslims for so many hundreds of years, you know, 1400 years. But the church actually that I met Saeed in had started allowing Muslims to come in and they were converting, and one of them was Saeed. And that’s why they had killed some of their pastors. The government had arrested and killed some of the pastors at that building church. And I saw Saeed he was on. It’s a long story, how I ended up in that church. I had a cousin that had gotten saved and invited me, so I was about to leave Iran. I had been a missionary for one year, and I had five people who accepted Christ. And I was like, Okay, I shared with every single relative, like aunt and uncle gave out Bibles. And there was five people became Christians. And then I was like, Okay, I’m done. I was about to leave.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  19:12 My cousin invites me to this church service. And I go inside Saeed was on stage worship on the worship team. And I really saw a lot of passion for Jesus. And then he was like, I love evangelism. Like that’s my number one passion. And even in Boise, I would always go and evangelize to the refugees, the Muslim refugees that were coming in. And so, he seemed like this great evangelist, and I was really drawn to him. And so, we started working together. He actually reached out to me and said, Hey, you want to do ministry together? And I didn’t realize but he was going to an underground bible school by the Assemblies of God there. And  because the government was heavily persecuting the building church, they were being trained to start house churches. So, at that time, he had about a dozen people, I had five we decided to join forces. And within a few years it grew to 1000s over 33 cities and it was college students, they were our house was in the middle of Tehran-by-Tehran University. And so, all these college students were getting saved. And then they would go back into their city and evangelize. And all these house churches was just popping up. And all over Iran, every 33 major cities had churches, within two years.   Julie Roys  20:34 Very organically.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  20:35 Very, it was all college students, very organic.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  20:39 And women. Women did a lot of leadership. Yes, it’s really I mean, ironic in a Muslim country.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  20:46 Very ironic. I was just sharing that is China and Iran had this revival of house church movement, and women are the main ones leading it. And in a culture like, Iranian culture, where women are literally told their property, and a lot of the Muslim men treat them with a lot of contempt, they don’t have a lot of freedom. And so, a lot of Muslim women are drawn to the church and become saved because they see how the men in the underground church honor women and they’re leading. And the men are completely okay with that. And they’re working together. I mean, there’s no titles, there’s no stage, they call each other brother and sister, even the pastor, which is like a shepherd or shepherdess. It’s called sister like Sister Naghmeh, Sister Julie. So, no one’s called, , no one’s given a title. And actually, being the pastor or the leader of that house church, means you’re going to be the first one to be arrested and killed, you know. And I share in my book about a 10-year-old girl that I met in one of the cities and  she got saved at 10. She was passionate by 25. She was a discipling like 500 women. And she was arrested, tortured, and solitary confinement. She would not even give out one name, she was defending her flock. She went through so much. And she came out she’s like, I didn’t give out one name. They weren’t able to find any of the 500 people that she was discipling. And so that’s what it means to be the leader, it’s, you’re literally laying down your life for the sheep. It’s not like a place of popularity, it’s actually not a place, I’ve shared that in the podcasts with you. Not a place that a lot of narcissists like to serve. It’s not fun.   Julie Roys  22:33 I mean, that’s the thing, if you hear so often, the shepherd should be the first to lay down his life, right? And if that were the case, it does just sort of naturally weed out the chaff.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  22:47 Literally, if you’re the leader means you’re going to be the first one that’s arrested and tortured. So what narcissist want to do that? So, you don’t see a lot of narcissists. And you don’t see, unfortunately, you don’t see a lot of the men wanting that position. So, a lot of the women are the ones carrying the torch of the gospel, and they’re the ones being arrested. They’re the ones being raped. They’re the ones being tortured. They’re the woman by the well that Jesus is using. I was sharing with one of my pastors recently, I was like, how dare God use women on the underground churches in Iran? Why does he do that? But it’s the woman but they’re not getting any popularity. They’re literally being tortured and killed, but they’re the ones, the weak, Isn’t doesn’t Jesus says he uses the weak, broken? It is the weak, broken woman who’ve been so shattered in that society that God is just lifting up and honoring and giving the privilege to suffer for the gospel.   Julie Roys  23:45 And where we see the church shrinking in the West, in these places where it’s organically happening without all of the money and the programs and, you know, all the seven steps to this that are the other thing. The gospel is going forward.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  24:02 Yes, it is going without a program. It’s weak vessels that society has crushed, that Jesus is honoring and using for the gospel in one of the hardest countries in the world that has the most crazy governments. With great wisdom, God is using that. And doesn’t he say that in his word? That’s who he uses, but it’s really It’s so confusing for me because I see that happening in the Middle East. And then the way women are honored in a place where they haven’t been. And then I see something different here, which has been so hard to try to digest that. But it’s so radical. I mean if you guys could understand how radical it is. And I know you’ve watched like sheep among wolves and all that. It’s radical for women to be leading in the Middle East, the house churches. Just think about that in a culture that has said You’re nothing your property, just how radical that is. And for Jesus during his time to do that too; be so radical in the way he honored women. I am just still shocked by the fact that how the men in the house churches really honor the women and really  God, it’s the work of the Holy Spirit. There’s no other explanation.   Julie Roys  25:19 It is so cool. So, you told of a time when you denied the Lord, but you had another chance.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  25:26 Yeah, I told the Lord. I went home and I cried, I said, God, if I have another opportunity, I will not deny your name. And two and a half years later, I was arrested. But I’ve been arrested a lot. Many times, for the gospel. We were like, if we were smuggling Bibles, like at night, we would try to move around Bibles and give it to different house churches. So, we were arrested many times, there’s so many stories. But there was an incident where it was the scariest because I was actually detained. I have guns pointed to my head, we were basically told, if you say you’re a Christian, you will go to a woman’s prison, you will get raped and tortured and you will die. If you say you’re Muslim, you get to walk out this door right now. And everything within me wanted to be Muslim. I just want to get out of that door. I had the radical Revolutionary Guards all around me with guns and I was just like, Okay God, you know how the Bible says, he will put the words in our mouth? And I said, I’m a Christian. And the story is more detailed in my book. But towards the end of it,  this top interrogator was crying and asking for a Bible. The guy that threatened to kill me, was actually ended up asking for a Bible.   Julie Roys  26:46 And Saeed said that he got his inspiration from you because you. . .   NAGHMEH PANAHI  26:52 There was three of us that got arrested. The first guy wrote Muslim, and then it was my turn. And so, I wrote Christian, and the Revolutionary Guard interrogator asked for my testimony. He said,  basically my testimony was the evidence that was going to convict me of the death sentence they were going to give me for converting. And then Saeed also said he was Christian. And he told me after we left, I was gonna write Muslim. But when you said Christian, I got inspired to also write Christian. So yeah.   Julie Roys  27:32 So, you guys come back to the States. You end up getting married to Saeed. There were some red flags in your dating relationship, obviously, that you talk about in the book. And we don’t have time to go into all of what happened. But what was your life with Saeed behind closed doors?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  27:55 Yeah, so Saeed had never been to the states. We came to the States in 2005, after a lot of persecution. But in Iran, it was the first full on physical abuse happened when we fled Iran in Dubai. So about a year and a half into our marriage, but I didn’t see the signs of abuse, obviously, now looking back, but early on, he didn’t find me attractive. He would say, you’re so dark, and you’re so ugly, and you need to do nose surgery, you need to do surgery with your eyebrows, and you need to lose weight. And so, he was just, pretty much I start questioning, I said by that by the time we were  eight years into the marriage before Saeed’s arrest, I couldn’t even think for myself. I remember the interviews, I would tell people, this is the first time I’m processing life without Saeed because I would have to ask him permission, what do I say? And it was really hard  being put in the spotlight and having to rely on my own. Not as Saeed  to give answers. It started out with him putting down my looks. And then it was like, questioning the way I was seeing things and then questioning the way I was looking at Scripture and saying, I was idolizing scripture, I needed to let the Holy Spirit , you know, his own idea of what the Holy Spirit is. And just he started questioning my understanding of Scripture. There was not a full-on beating, but he would shove me he had me beg. He would have me beg and kiss his feet. It’s in the book. There’s some really hard stuff in the book. But pretty much, after eight years of marriage, we came to America because of intense persecution. And then after four years of being in America from 2005 to 2009, we didn’t go to Iran, but then he started traveling. And then he got arrested. He thought, Well, we haven’t done house church for four years. I can go back. He went back and forth, back, and forth. 2012 was arrested the time he was arrested; I was a shell of a person. I had no friends. He cut off my family, my friends. I had so much makeup on, I was 30 pounds lighter than I am now. I tried everything to be exactly how he wanted me to be. And I couldn’t show emotion. If I cried, he would say you’re trying to manipulate me with your tears, he would get very angry with tears. I couldn’t laugh, I couldn’t express any emotion. So I was just like this very dead person, just basically, I worked full time he didn’t work. So, I was full time I was a slave, I was working full time taking care of the kids cooking, cleaning. And he was just traveling, and I was funding his travels. And so I was, close to death. I didn’t realize his imprisonment was my freedom. I did not see it; I was so mad at God. And I explained it in my book. I thought God was being so cruel to me. Now I have to try to get my husband out of the worst prison in the world.   Julie Roys  30:55 And you are gone from being premed, you had done incredibly well in school, then you help your dad run his business.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  31:02 I was very confident.   Julie Roys  31:03 Confident, competent, all of these things. And after these years of marriage, you have been reduced to that point. And then you start advocating for him. It doesn’t dawn on you that you’re being abused till pretty far along in the whole process. But talk about when you finally because I think a lot of people have heard you know the story up until this point. But then you advocated for him. And then you got to the point where you finally said, it dawned on you you were being abused. And you said something.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  31:36 Well, the reason it dawned on me if he hadn’t had a phone, most people don’t realize this part of the puzzle. The last year of his imprisonment, he had obtained a smartphone where he could literally get on the internet in maximum security prison in Iran. It was a smuggled phone worth $7,000 to get that phone to him. But I’m glad it happened. Because at first I was like, why does he have a phone and he’s treating me like this? He would call me Jezebel, like that was the number one word he’d use against me. whore and again, you’re ugly, you’re nobody if people are clapping, they’re clapping for Abedini, Saeed Abedini. They’re not clapping for you. I’m the hero of the story. He saw that I met with Obama I met with Trump I  was on the news. And we did a prayer vigil with Mr. Franklin Graham and 2 million people watching online and he saw when he called me for the first time he saw this confident woman that he had destroyed for eight years. So, he saw, Oh, she has confidence in Jesus. I dreamed in his time of imprisonment. It was my time in the cocoon. I was reading the word praying again, because I couldn’t even pick up the Bible when I was in abuse. I couldn’t imagine, I kept myself pure. I had been a missionary and part of me was really mad at God for allowing me to suffer like this. I mean, I describe a lot of hard things in the Bible. In my book, I was raped by him. It was just a horrible, horrible marriage.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  33:15 And so, part of me, I guess, had distanced myself from God thinking, I kept myself pure. I wanted to serve you. Why would you allow this? And so, when he was in prison, actually, I drew close to God and like you said, I had been raised in a home where my dad gave me a lot of confidence. And so anyways, my Heavenly Father was like, really, through the Bible I am finding confidence. So, when he got a smartphone, he saw that confidence and he was scared. I didn’t see it at that time. So, as he was calling me all sorts of names, I’m writing articles for The Washington Post and New York Times. I'm writing op-eds on being on the news and traveling, speaking in churches and he’s calling me names. I couldn’t understand why because people are like, Your husband must be so proud of you. I was literally traveling the world getting him out. He had an eight-year sentence. He spent three years in prison, six months in house arrest, but he could have been there for a longer time. They were actually going to give him more and more years. People are like, he must be so proud. You’ve met with presidents to get him out and then here he was calling me names and I couldn’t get it.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  34:22 So finally, I broke coming from the Middle Eastern culture and the Christian culture, you don’t want to air out your dirty laundry. So, I didn’t tell anyone even my parents had experienced abuse themselves. He had physically beat up my dad, but it was a culture of you don’t divorce no matter what, but also a culture, you don’t talk about it. So, for the first time I shared with this pastor that I was speaking at his church, I said, I don’t understand. Here’s all these text messages he’s sending on Skype to me. He’s calling me all sorts of names. I don’t get it like why? And he said, “You're an abused wife. He said, This is why he is And then it started making sense Oh, he needed to crush me to control me. And I wasn’t crushed. During his time of imprisonment, God was setting me free inside was seeing that. And so, he was calling me all sorts of names. And when this pastor gave me the diagnosis, that was it   There was no going back. Because before then I was like, I have a hard marriage. And then once I knew it was cancer, I’m like uh, this needs chemo, and I knew I had to educate myself on what abuse was and what do I do?   Julie Roys  35:35 And so, you sent an email. To like, 100 close supporters.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  35:39 Yeah, I was like, Nah, this is the way the media has blown it up. I sent an email to really close friends. And then that got leaked to the media. And then yeah, I was, I think Lori Anne Thompson said this stone was like the person bleeding by the road. I was like, stones were thrown at me. I was bullied by Franklin Graham, told to shut up. You’re damaging the cause of Christ. He used every power every connection he had. And he was like, You’re never ever going to do ministry again if you talk. I was like, I don’t want to do ministry. I just want to live quietly in Boise, Idaho. Why is ministry an idol? He was scaring me but saying you’re never gonna do anything. I’m like, It’s okay, I don’t want it. So, he couldn’t hold that over me. But I lost everything like Lori Anne Thompson said, I had to quit my job to advocate for him. So, my income had been speaking engagements. And that was taken from me. So, all of a sudden I’m in the middle of he comes out, files for divorce, because how dare I have leaked, shared with a group of people that leaked information about abuse. And so, he came out filed for divorce, the worst thing I was afraid of which was actually my freedom. But at that time, it was heartbreaking. Because I fought to get him out. He didn’t even want to fight for our marriage. He just came out and filed for divorce. And I literally lost everything. I lost my marriage, I lost my income, I had stones thrown at me, I was literally by the side of the road. And all the religious leaders were like either kicking me, or quietly walking by. It was very few that were there, all the text messages stopped, all the Naghmeh, we got you and my poor kids too, they would always get gifts and support. They would get so many gifts on their birthdays. And it all of a sudden stopped. And they’re like, Mom, what happened? And all of a sudden, we’re just like, I mean, I got so many calls from past, pastors that were just throwing things at me. And I had a really interesting experience with Family Research Council too. And so, it was just like, a lot of stones at a time where my marriage was falling apart. And yeah, it was a very difficult time.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  35:43 So that the title of your book is I Didn’t Survive.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  37:58  People don’t like that. They’re like you’re a survivor.   Julie Roys  38:03 But the old Naghmeh is not the Naghmeh who’s sitting here is this like Dr. Monroe said, you know that you change your different. How have you changed and why?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  38:19 I am not the person I was 10 years ago once I went to prison. I think I would describe it like a caterpillar going into the cocoon. The caterpillar is no longer the caterpillar, it's a butterfly. There’s a confidence I have in God. There’s a lack of fear of what religious leaders. My Goliath was Franklin Graham. He used every power he had to shut me down. I know this for a fact. Some megachurch pastors called me and said yeah, Franklin called us and every person I reached out for help, Franklin would call and say if you help her, you know? And so yeah, there’s a lot of stories. I don’t have fear of losing anything. I know that losing income, ministry, people’s praises, all of that fell and the old Naghmeh was afraid of losing a lot of things like marriage, status, income, even as a single mom; all that fear is gone. He’s been my provider, day in and day out. I live for Christ and if people don’t like that, then it’s okay. I don’t get any benefit from people either copying or so there’s a lot of people pleasing. I’m just not the old Naghmeh. The old Naghmeh was so afraid, scared about people’s opinion. I mean, I care for people but I’m not a people pleaser. You would have been surprised to meet the Naghmeh of 2012. She would have been a completely different person.   Julie Roys  39:49 Thing Mariam said in her book, that she said that the domestic abuse that she suffered by her husband was worse and If you read Miriam’s book, I can’t quite even wrap my head around what can be worse than some of the things that she suffered at the hands of Muslim persecutors. But in what ways was that worse when you get persecuted from professing Christians?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  40:22 She said it’s worse? So, Miriam and I are, she’s one of my best friends. And she came out of Sudanese prison. She was on death row, and I met her soon after she’d given birth to her daughter, Maya in prison. And then she faced this horrific, you will read her account in prison in her book that’s out there. The prison experience her growing up as a refugee in Sudan. Her mom was a refugee. Her dad was Sudanese, and she grew up in a horrible situation and then she was given the death sentence by the radical Muslims there in Sudan and treated horribly. For her to say what she experienced in domestic abuse and the church’s response was worse than that? I was like, “Are you what?! She said she knew that was the enemy, she’s like, I knew that was my enemy. I knew that those people that had persecuted me where my enemy. I didn’t expect it to come from my home. And I didn’t expect it to come from my Christian community. Like that was what was like I think you said that about Lori Anne Thompson’s, that it came from the church is the most messed up thing with the name of carrying the name of Jesus to for broken people that Jesus so cares about to be trampled on. And use then abuse is I just that just, it’s so messed up. And so that’s why she says that she’s like, I didn’t expect it in my home, that my enemy would be in my home and that the way the Christian community respond to her she was a Christian hero for standing up to the Muslim community in Sudan. And then she was a bad person for wanting to divorce her abusive husband. No one wanted to touch her. She shares that. It’s like the modern leper, she Yeah, she  actually became homeless, no one wanted to help her. She had to flee her home with her two kids that had just left Sudanese prison. And no one wanted to touch it. No one wanted to get her a lawyer help get her nothing. She had nothing. She just come out of Sudan with no English. She filed for divorce in 2018. So, four years after she came out from Sudan, so she knew a little bit of English, but she had never worked in the US. I mean, she literally was helpless. She had no family. Her mom had died. I mean, she had no family and the Christian community that had tried to help her escape Sudan was now like, don’t talk to us, don’t reach out. Don’t talk to us. Like she became a leper. Yeah, so I wish she was here. And we tell her story.   Julie Roys  42:56 Yeah. So last question because we’re gonna have to wrap up. But having been through what you’ve been through, seeing what you’ve seen in the house church movement in Iran, then coming to the US and experiencing what you did by the American church, what message do you have for the American church today?   NAGHMEH PANAHI  43:18 To get Lance’s book. It's so messed up the way the system is destroying is not Christianity, what we have here is a system it’s a business. It’s not laying down your life for the sheep. It’s actually like Ezekiel, where God’s like you’re abusing,  you’re using the sheep for your own benefit. A good shepherd would actually lay down. I mean, Paul says, you know, parents should give to the children, not children, like he should have been this rich pastor, and he’s like, I’m poor. I’m homeless. I’m treated like he wasn’t a great speaker, he wouldn’t be probably have any church gathering. And so, it’s just the way the system is really. If anyone that comes from the house church movement in Iran or China, they come here and they’re like, Oh, the church is asleep, like there’s no church. There’s buildings, people are gathering in buildings, but the church is dead. Anyone has ever come that’s the first reaction they give is, wow, the church here is sleeping. And so, I would say I think we really need to rethink and not just read about Jesus was the servant, what does that mean in my life? And I love what Lori Anne Thompson said that we don’t also as abuse survivors, we are not the heroes either, Jesus is. I think the reason I wrote my book is that it's not heroic, someone wrote a review. It’s not about anyone being a hero. It’s about the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony, and my hope is my testimony is going to help draw people to Christ because I’m not the answer. Christ is. And so that’s why I’ve kind of refrained from writing a curriculum or having an answer. I’m and like Jesus, he helped me, point to him. And so, we’re not the heroes. You know, as survivors, or as the persecuted church. The persecuted church doesn’t want to be heroes. They’re just following Christ. But I think we can learn a lot from the persecuted church and really learn what it means to carry our cross. I don’t think the American church really, the leadership understand what that is. What does it mean to carry your cross and die to yourself daily?   Julie Roys  45:36 And I do believe that out of the ashes, new things are coming. And who was it that said, maybe it was last night at the dinner that I think it was Laurie Adams Brown, who said that she believes that survivors and a lot of what’s happening for people that have been through this who have really experienced the pain of what’s happened, it’s fertile ground for a new thing to happen in the church. And so that’s my prayer.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  46:07 I think this is my I’ve prayed and cried out to God many times. I think God’s gonna use the broken. We are looking for oh, I think Sheila said that, too. We’re looking to these big platforms to do something and God’s like, No, I’m going to use the little scattered broken people on the outside. You keep looking to these megachurch pastors see, please see this. And they’re not because for them to see it, it means their whole world would be toppled upside down. And so, we’re trying to change these big organizations. But a lot of times the answer is actually Jesus is like, no, I’m actually going to  do a work outside of that. And that’s going to, yeah, anyways, I think just having spent many hours just crying for the church in America, because I was born and raised for the first nine years in Iran. But I’ve been in America for like 37 years. And so, I’ve cried for this country. And as a Christian, and I think he’s going to work in a way we didn’t expect him to. It’s not going to be people with platforms, it’s going to be a grassroot, no one’s going to be the hero, it’s only going to be Jesus. I tell people because they like to build heroes. I’m like,  don’t look to me to be the chain. It’s gonna require every one of us, like Sheila I think said, and a lot of the speakers. It’s going to be a grassroot because like I said, Jesus Himself, God is a jealous God. He deserves all the glory; he’s going to be the Savior. There’s no minnie saviors that are going to change the climate, you know, here. So, it’s just gonna be all Jesus. But all of us are just a voice. But we need to use our voice. And I think what Lori Anne said, or Adam said is true, I think it’s going to be a lot of the movement is going to start with the survivors and the broken. And that’s why people ask me, you were so passionate about the Middle East, I still work with the underground church in Iran and Afghanistan. I’m not a ministry, but I try to collect money and just give everything there. But I also care about their views, then they’re like, this is kind of two different worlds. I’m like, No, it’s not. Because Jesus is with the broken, the persecuted church is broken. The abused are broken, they’re both desperate for God. And guess what God cannot resist? God cannot resist His people being broken. Like he will step in like you have not. Gloria Thompson said she was like, once she had her daughter, she’s like, I will fight for her. And God is that jealous for us. And when we’re broken, that’s when God’s steps in. And so, for both the persecuted church and the abused, my heart is for them. First of all, Jesus says, If you want to minister to me, minister to the least of these my brothers. So, if you want to actually walk with Jesus, it’s not on the big platforms. It’s literally walking with the least of these. That’s where I experienced Jesus is when I’m walking with an abused woman. I’m not on I’m literally just, I’ve had abused woman live in my house, like, that’s where I’m experiencing Jesus, or when I’m working with the persecuted church, who have no money to eat, and they’re still carrying forth the gospel. They’re in these countries that are sanctioned. They’re so poor, and as Christians, they’re even poorer, but they continue to take the gospel. So when I hang out with the least of these, I truly experience the move of the Spirit. And so, they’re related. The persecuted church, and the survivors abused, you know, women and men. They have a common thread that is attractive to me, and that’s brokenness and desperation for God. Anyways.   Julie Roys  49:47 Naghmeh, every time I sit with you, I get inspired. Thank you so much. Thank you for so truthfully telling your story and for being an inspiration to so many of us.   NAGHMEH PANAHI  50:02 Thank you, Julie. And I just so appreciate it. You know, people have attacked you before being divisive and like, trying to go after the church, but your heart to bring healing to the church is I think I just know there’s going to be I’ve prayed for this, there should be 10s of 1000s of people coming to this conference of just finding that restoration. And you know, and so I appreciate your work so much. And yeah, keep going. You have my prayers. And so, thank you. Thank you.   Julie Roys  50:45 That was just such a special interview with Naghmeh Panahi, and it’s one of many unforgettable moments from our last RESTORE conference. And if you’re listening and thinking, man, I don’t want to miss out on that next RESTORE conference, I want to encourage you to send us an email at The Roys Report at JULIEROYS.COM, and just put in the subject line RESTORE EMAIL, and we’ll be sure to add you to our email list. And then when we announce the date and all the information about the next conference, you’ll be sure to be the first to know. Also, if you’re grateful for these interviews and talks, which we’re making available free of charge, would you please consider giving to The Roys Report. As I’ve noted before, we don’t have any big donors or advertisers, we simply have you the people who care about abuse and corruption in the church and want to expose it. To donate, just go to JULIEROYS.COM/DONATE. Also, just a quick reminder to subscribe to The Roys Report on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts or Spotify. That way you won’t ever miss any of these episodes. And while you’re at it, I’d really appreciate it if you’d help us spread the word about the podcast by leaving a review. And then please share the podcast on social media so more people can hear about this great content. Again, thanks so much for joining me today. Hope you were blessed and encouraged. Read more

Naghmeh Abedini Panahi; ex-wife of Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith, returns. In this first of two broadcasts, Naghmeh discusses her new book, "I Didn't Survive, Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse." Topics include coming to Christ as a youth when her parents were muslims (they later came to know the Lord), the idol of comfort, meeting Saeed Abedini in Iran, promiscuity before marriage, and the physical beatings (including being raped on the first night of their honeymoon) by her ex-husband.

In this episode, Naghmeh Panahi shares her story with us. A story that is necessary to hear, although it is difficult. Abuse by pastors, church leaders. Backlash from the Christian community. Naghmeh shares how she was able to hold on to Christ, recover her identity as a child of God, lead a house church movement, and see Muslims from around the world have dreams and visions of Jesus, start to follow Jesus and make him lord. This is a conversation that you don't want to miss. So join us as we discover the goodness of God in the midst of humans corrupting His goodness and see how God reveals Himself to the broken and desperate. Born in Tehran in 1977, Naghmeh Abedini Panahi immigrated to the United States at the age of nine and soon converted from Islam to Christianity. In late 2001, after graduating from college, she returned to Iran to work as a businesswoman and missionary. There, she witnessed —and experienced—the oppression and violence women are subjected to every day in the Middle East. It was there that she also met her future husband, Saeed Abedini, with whom she led one of the largest house-church movements in Iran. In 2005, due to persecution, she and Saeed moved to the United States, where their two children were born. When Saeed visited Iran in 2012 to work on opening an orphanage, he was arrested for his involvement in the underground church and sentenced to eight years in a notorious prison. Naghmeh unceasingly advocated for Saeed's release, appealing to President Barak Obama, Donald Trump,the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, and nearly every major news outlet over the three and a half years that Saeed was in prison.Yet underneath the surface of her leadership in the Iranian house church, her family life in America, and the spotlight of her advocacy, Naghmeh had been an abused wife, and Saeed's imprisonment had further intensified his controlling and abusive behavior. It took the crisis and aftermath of Saeed's arrest for Naghmeh to finally recognize what had been happening to her and begin to find healing.Naghmeh's personal experience with domestic violence and the misuse of religion to reinforce abuse has given her a passion to advocate for women who are vulnerable to abuse and oppression because of religion. She is a speaker, a Bible teacher, and the cofounder and executive director of Tahir Alnisa (“Setting Women Free”) Foundation, which serves women and children around the world impacted by domestic abuse and religious-motivated violence.Naghmeh's Book:I Didn't SurviveNaghmeh's Recommendation:The Atlas Factor by Lance Ford (Coming Soon)Connect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Support the show

On Wednesday's Mornings with Eric and Brigitte, author Naghmeh Abedini Panahi joins us to share some of her story. It vividly describes the Islamic upbringing that shaped her, her unexpected conversion to Christianity, and the events that led to her marriage to Saeed Abedini. Through the pain, abuse, and loss, Naghmeh clearly demonstrates what it means for us to find our true identity in God and discover the protective care God has for His children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest today, Naghmeh Panahi has an amazing story to tell! She starts by talking about her Muslim upbringing in Iran to her conversion to Christianity after her brother had a vision of Jesus. She talks about how they had to hide their relationship with Jesus until her parents conversion years later after moving to Idaho. She talks about moving back to Iran in her 20s and being able to see full blown revival and to be a part of it. Then she talks about meeting her ex-husband and the life and abuse she suffered at his hands and through his words. She stated that she didn't know she was in an abusive relationship until after her husband was arrested and she was removed from the situation. She states, "God used his imprisonment to set me free." This episode will challenge you, as it has me, to look at what you put your faith and trust in. Do you put it in material things or in the things and people around you, or do you place it in God and His promises? It will also encourage you to discover the passions God has put in your heart for His people and to ask Him to use you in that way. She has a huge heart and passion for the persecuted church and that is evident in her voice, her life and her story. Enjoy this episode and go out and get her book today! Bio: Naghmeh Abedini Panahi made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then husband, Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith. Through Saeed's imprisonment Naghmeh was not only able to bring worldwide attention to the plight of the persecuted Christians, but she was also able to proclaim the Gospel to millions of people across the globe by speaking at human rights groups, major news outlets, the United Nations in Geneva, the European Parliament, Congress and have personal meetings with President Barrack Obama and Donald Trump. When it came to light in 2015 that Naghmeh had been abused throughout her marriage by her “hero” husband, the Christian community turned on her and she was harshly judged by religious leaders. Although Naghmeh was judged, abandoned, and rejected by the Christian community, she trusted in Jesus to be her defense and to fight her battles (Exodus 14:14). Naghmeh's story is a story of God's amazing rescue and restoration. Anchor Verse: Hosea 2:14-16 Song of Solomon (Songs) 6:3 Connect with Naghmeh: Website: https://naghmehpanahi.com/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/NaghmehSPanahi/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/naghmeh_panahi/ X: NaghmehSPanahi LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/naghmehpanahi Order her book, I Didn't Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse https://www.shoptheword.com/product/i-didnt-survive/ ***This podcast is a proud member of the Spark Network! It is a network of Christian podcasts that cover so many different topics!  Head over to: https://www.sparkmedia.ventures/spark-network#/ to find more amazing podcasts!!***

Naghmeh Abedini Panahi continues her story. After she went public with her husband's porn addiction, and physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, the Christian community blew up and turned against her. One nationally known leader of a large evangelical organization asked if she had been having an affair. Comments were made that Naghmeh had taken down the Christian community's "hero." Naghmeh's story reveals that some put celebrity status - looking good - over holiness and truth. This isn't far from our church of today that may look good on the outside yet ignores the sexual sin it's corrupt with. Episode Transcript SPONSOR: This program is sponsored by Blazing Grace Ministries. ANNOUNCER: This radio program is PG13. Parents strongly cautioned - some material may be inappropriate for children under the age of 13. Jesus's mission was to comfort those who mourn, bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and open prison doors for those who are bound. For those who want more than status quo Christianity has to offer, Blazing Grace Radio begins now. And here is your host, Mike Genung. MIKE GENUNG, HOST, BLAZING GRACE RADIO: Hey, Mike Genung here. Welcome back to Blazing Grace Radio. Thank you for joining us. This is our second week talking to Naghmeh Panahi. She made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then-husband, Saeed Abedini, who was in prison Iran for his Christian faith. And through Saeed's imprisonment, Naghmeh was able to bring worldwide attention to the plight of persecuted Christians. And she was able to proclaim the Gospel to millions across the globe by speaking at human rights groups, major news outlets, the United Nations at Geneva, European Parliament Congress, and she had personal meetings with both Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. When it came to light in 2015 that Naghmeh had been abused throughout her marriage by her husband, the Christian community suddenly turned on her. And so we're picking up this conversation from last week. And Naghmeh, welcome back to the program. NAGHMEH ABEDINI PANAHI, GUEST: Thank you. MIKE: So let's pick your story up from where you left off. NAGHMEH: Yeah, so I... through my advocacy for my husband, God was setting me free. He was building my confidence. And Saeed had gotten a phone, from inside of the prison... and, about a year before he got out, and he was calling me names, I didn't know at that time why. Later I realized he'd seen my... that I was not the girl that I... that he had, I guess, was able to control. I was becoming more confident. I was becoming more outspoken. And he didn't like that. And so, he was calling me all sorts of names like Jezebel like, "You're not submitting to me fully anymore, you're a Jezebel who wants to have pull over men," and so... and I was very... and he would say that, because, you know how Israel, the Israelites disobeyed God, that was spiritual adultery, which was worse than human sexual adultery. He would say, "you are committing - because you're not fully submitting to me - you're committing spiritual adultery." So he would call me a whore and just all sorts of names. And I couldn't understand it why he was attacking me so much when I was trying so hard to get him out. So finally I broke down. I had a meltdown. I told... I was invited to get a mega church in North Carolina whose pastor was Pastor... Doctor David Chadwick, and after the Sunday service, and after we had a prayer meeting for the person in the church, after that I... we were out in a restaurant and I finally told this pastor and his wife everything, including Saeed's messages from prison. And this pastor looked at me and he said, "Naghmeh, you know that I'm not just a pastor. I have a doctorate degree in psychology," and I was shocked that God would have me confess all of this to a pastor who was an expert in this. Just God's perfect timing and provision. And so he said, from what I understand, he said, "I can't wrap my mind around it because Saeed is my hero." But he said, "you are an abused wife," And... the pastor was so confused. He just, he's like, "I got radio tomorrow. I got stuff tomorrow. I'm just going to drop you off at your hotel - we're going to drop you off at your hotel." And, you know, "I have an early radio program," and I had an early flight. So they dropped me off and I Googled abuse, and everything that Saeed had done with the isolation, with... even the silent treatment, with everything, the financial, the emotional, the physical, all of it. It was like someone had looked into my marriage and had written a book. So I was shocked that all the symptoms in my marriage, it was not just a hard marriage. It was actually... abuse. And that's when I realized, like, "This is not something... that this is like cancer, this can't be dressed with like Tylenol, this, this needs chemo. This is, like, serious stuff." And that's when I stopped all advocacy. I actually wrote a letter to a group of supporters about what was going on, and it got leaked to media. And by the time I actually landed in Boise, all the media wanted to talk to me because it was leaked that I had written to supporters that Saeed was an abusive husband, and including porn addiction, all of that. So yeah, it became very... a frenzy, media frenzy, and the Christian world went after me. They said I had done it for the fame and the money, which is interesting because when I advocated for Saeed, I had no idea it was going to become such a big story. And, of course, my one of my first phone calls was with Franklin Graham, who... he actually recently confirmed it in a Washington Post report that he, as soon as I picked up the phone, he called, he said, "Are you cheating on Saeed?" Because that's the only thing he could think of of why I was throwing Saeed under the bus. Although I didn't ever want it, want this information about Saeed to come out publicly. So, I just got attacked by everyone including big names, like Franklin Graham, calling me basically an adulterer and just questioning my motive of why I would even call Saeed an abuser. Because at that time Saeed has had become a Christian hero. So the trauma is just the trauma of having realized I had been in an 8 year abusive marriage and I'd known this man at that time for much longer than eight years. More than 10 years. And realizing that, in addition to the response of the Church of shutting me down, and all my followers, everyone, millions and millions of people who have supported me, either stayed silent, or they attacked me and called me all sorts of... questioned my motives of even advocating for Saeed or why I was coming out about the abuse. Basically saying I was cheating on my husband, that's why I was coming out about the abuse. So that was also pretty devastating. MIKE: And this all blew up a year before he was released? NAGHMEH: A few months. Which I didn't know when he would be released. So a lot of people think Saeed got out of prison and then I came out with the information, which would make sense, even though it was like people trying to make up the story of he came out and then I said the information because I was with someone. That's there in their mind, that's their story. But no, this information came out a few months before Saeed got out of prison, which I actually didn't expect Saeed to come out of prison a few months later. But I have - I had stopped playing the game where... I realized the phone that Saeed had had inside the prison was highly... like even though it was a smuggled phone, it had internet. Like, the Iranian government was using it to get me all riled up. And they would, like, beat up Saeed and I would go to the media, "he got beaten up." Because Saeed would then call me, "I do - I just came out of solitary consignment. They just hurt me," and then I would go to the media. And then, in a way, Iran was upping the price for the... for their hostages, including my husband. And, so, once I stopped playing that game, once I the abuse stuff came out, my really my connection with Saeed was completely cut, I was no longer going to media. I stopped all advocacy in the hopes that our family would come from that world of fame and we would just... hopefully, if we went back to normal. And it was, our family could heal, because a lot of Saeed's insanity had come from him thinking he was so famous, he'd gotten way worse in prison, and he was all about fame and money now. And, so, I stopped all advocacy and shut everything down. And at that time, Barack Obama was President, and I was promised by Trump and Ben Carson and every... pretty much every candidate that was running for the GOP, I was promised, "If we become president..." like Ted Cruz, all of them told me, like, "we'll get your husband out." So my thinking was end of 20- like end of 2016 - or actually 2017 - when the new president was sworn, it was when maybe Saeed would be released, because that had happened in the Iran hostage crisis in the 70s, is when a new President became... when there was a new President, that's when they released the American hostages. So I thought he would be released a year later, but he was released a couple months after the abuse stuff came out... like 3 months later, yeah. MIKE: So you had intense years, long sexual abuse and physical abuse with your husband, and then you had this incredible weight of what I'm going to define as "spiritual abuse" from the Church community. And how... how did all that affect you? NAGHMEH: I think it was like the Peter moment, like, "I'm done, but I can't be done with Christ, because I have nowhere else to go." I was saved out of Islam since I was 9 and even though God's word was so twisted, abused me, by both my husband, and, as you said, by the Christian leaders, I knew I had nowhere else to go by Jesus. And so I clung to God, His word and God gave me Josiah 2:14-16 says, where he talks about setting Israel free, and through His word I discovered that abuse was not okay with him. Submitting to abuse or corruption was not okay with him. That, the putting institution of marriage over the well-being of a person, was not okay with God. That... you know, the same way the religious leaders of Christ's time cared more about Sabbath than the person wasting away in Sabbath, the religious leaders of our time care more about keeping the marriage statistics thing. "We don't have as much divorce," than actually helping the woman and children that are wasting away. They'd rather not touch marriage where, or be part of having to fall away fall apart. So, either they stayed away from trying to help me, or they forced - like Franklin Graham - tried to force my reconciliation. And so I reading through God the world, I realized that's not who God is. God cares about my well-being. Not the physical, but when I was under so much abuse, like my mental, I was a dead person. I couldn't even think for myself. I was... my body was going through a lot of trauma. I developed an autoimmune disease. I just... all this stuff. And through His word I realized that's not who God is. What my husband has portrayed Him to be or what the church leaders have portrayed Him to be is not Christ himself, and actually my relationship with God grew closer and closer. MIKE: So it's your perspective that what happened was the Christian community made Saeed out to be a hero, and then he got knocked off of that pedestal when the truth came out, and then people were taking that out on you? NAGHMEH: Yeah, and you know, they still do that. I think... when, like, when I say about what Franklin Graham did to me, a lot of people get upset and the big thing is, well, "this person is a hero. This person has done so much good for the Kingdom of God." Well, people focus on the good and that they have done, but they don't actually realize that the Bible... God doesn't actually care about the great good we do. It's obedience to His word, which is how we love others. How we love him and how we love others. So someone can do amazing good work for Christ but abuse his flock or abuse his wife. That, for God, that's not the priority, is the great work. But, yeah. The Christian community just attacked me because Saeed had become a hero in their eyes. And, you know, and I was told by Franklin Graham that if if this stuff about my marriage came out, that cause of Christ would be damaged. And that's what everyone kept saying. If the secrets come out, then you're damaging the cause of Christ, you're embarrassing Christianity and all of that. So that's was... that, that was a way that I was... I guess people try to silence me, saying, "You're damaging the cause of Christ." MIKE: Well, what we see is that 70 to 80% of Christian men are viewing pornography and involved in other forms of sexual sin, and abuse is a part of a lot of those marriages. And 1/3 of women are falling into the trap of porn, too. And - NAGHMEH: Mhmm. MIKE: - unfortunately, a lot of churches dodge these issues, which is keeping people in bondage and keeping people in marriages that are being destroyed. And so this is... what you're talking about, is a wide-ranging problem. That we hide. We pretend that we got it all together, and we don't. NAGHMEH: Yeah, the Church is very sick. Because we've had a structure of celebrity pastors and preachers with little... shepherding of the flock. Because we've become so big, wolves come in. We've moved, the Church moved from the house church structure where everyone knew each other and you can catch someone's bad behavior, to big buildings where all sorts of people walk in and abuse the flock, and it's become an epidemic of abuse. It's like you said, it's not... it's not just clergy abusing the flock, sexually and other ways, but also majority of the Church having porn addictions. It's we're... we're at a church age where the Church is so sick, and so... I would say bedridden. We've lost our effectiveness in society. We're very sick. And that grieves my heart. That breaks my heart because I am - I have been and I still am - I still work with the underground church in Iran and Afghanistan and... and they are how - it's looking at that and how the Church in Iran is in one of the darkest places in the world. And then looking at that American Church, how we're strangled up with so much pornography and abuse and it... it really breaks my heart. And I think it's time for reformation, for change in the way we've been doing church. MIKE: Well, as you've been speaking, Ravi Zacharias comes to mind, where it came out right after his death, where he was manipulating women into giving him massages and even having sex with him. And this was really close to the time he died, this was going on. And then first people getting mad and saying, "why is this coming out now?" But then as more, as the evidence came out, I mean, the guy had more brain power on his pinky than most of us have in our whole body, but it is not about the theology or the doctrine. It's about, "where's your heart?" NAGHMEH: Exactly. I know I met Lori Ann Thompson, which was the first woman that came out actually, before Robbie died, and he shut her down. He had her sign an NDA. She became very suicidal, the way he shut her down, and tried to prevent her from speaking out, the way he went after her family. And then when he died, I guess some of these women watched his funeral, that he had been sexually abusing, and realized there was another woman named Lori Anne Thompson had come out about it, and they started coming out about it and they realized it was an epidemic. But when he was alive, Robbie was able to silence this victim, and the whole Christian community turned on her. And again, why? Because Robbie did some quote and unquote "amazing work for Christ". But he was abusing the flock. But, you know, that people don't care about that. I think our focus has been so much on you know, Robbie has done so much work for God, and Franklin Graham, and we focus on the great work which God is actually doesn't. In the last, these men will say to Jesus, like I did these miracles in your name, I did prophesize prophesied me in your name. I cast out demons like and Jesus says, "Get away from me. I never knew you." It's not about those great work that is, we're so focused on, it's about obedience to God's word. And as you said, it's how are we treating the flock? How are we loving each other? And if that's not there, then you don't... "Get away from me. If you you are abusing my sheep, I don't care how theologically amazing you are, and you're able to like, talk to Imola or whoever like that means nothing to me. You're abusing my sheep. You're using your position of power to abuse my sheep." And, so, but we - I think as the Church we're so used to celebrity pastors, and so used to focusing on great work that, you know, we attack the victim because we don't want the work to be... you know, damaged because the victims coming out. We were trying to protect an institution with... whether it was the Robbie Zacharias institution, whether it's the Billy Graham institution, whether it's the Church institution. We care more of - whether it's the marriage institution - we care more about saving the institution that seems to be doing some good than actually saving the person that's wasting away in it. MIKE: Well, in First Corinthians 5, first two verses, Paul basically rips the Corinthian church over the sexual sin of one man. And then he says the reason that you don't do this is because you're arrogant and you don't mourn. And I mean, do we really sob over sin anymore? But how can you sob over sin when you won't even touch it? NAGHMEH: Mmm. Exactly. I don't think we sob over sin anymore. We've minimized even porn addiction. Jesus said - I was reading in my devotional space - if your eyes cause sin, gouge it out. Like, God is very serious about even... like, pornography, watching something, and he says take drastic steps. But we don't really grieve over that. We don't grieve, because I think we've lost sight of the holiness of God. We're just living. We're playing Christianity without understanding what a mighty holy God we serve. MIKE: Well, and part of what WE do is we have a... as big as an emphasis on helping the wife heal as we do the husband recover. And the wives get left out of this equation a lot, even when the porn epidemic in the Church is mentioned. And the wife is, as you've experienced, her heart is shredded, torn apart, it's very traumatic. And then, I mean, for your husband - or ex-husband - to say it was Godly to watch porn, I mean that's... a combination of sexual and spiritual abuse right there. NAGHMEH: Mmm. MIKE: So speak to the wife who is hurting right now. NAGHMEH: [sighs] Yeah, for me, the healing came from... I think Josiah 2:14-16 was really big. Where God has, like, called you into the wilderness. There's a time where you're you set free from a bondage, whether you stay in the marriage or not, you're shattered. And the marriage, as you've known it, has been shattered. And you are walking into an unknown wilderness that you don't know where you're going to get your water, your food, your protection, anything from. But God is calling you to that wilderness, because he wants to be your everything. And for me, that's what it was. He became my husband, He became my provider. He became my everything, emotional provider, helping me raise the kids. But I clung to God and I just, my message is "God will not abandon you." God sees. He's on your side. And it might seem like the wilderness, but in the wilderness is when you're going to discover an intimacy with God that is going to carry you through to the Promised Land. So... just keep going. You're going to have to depend on Him for food, and water, and protection, and guidance, and fire, and cloud, and where to go, the next step, how long to stay, when to move. But He's - He wants you in that place where He is you're everything, and He's the one that's guiding your life. And He will make something beautiful out of it. Whether you stay in the marriage or not, that's, you know, God will guide you of steps that are - that you will take. But I think my message is this "cling to Jesus." He will get you through. He will bring you out whole. He is our healing. He is our law. And that was, that was my... that's what when I felt lost and my marriage was falling apart. The marriage, I tried so hard to please, I sought to get my husband out of prison, thinking it's going to heal our marriage, he's going to appreciate me. And when it fell to pieces and my husband divorced me and moved on with another woman, I was shattered, because... but through Christ, He's made me whole. He restored things in my life that I would have never imagined. MIKE: Naghmeh, I really appreciate your honesty and all that you've shared, and we got a minute left. Anything you want to say? NAGHMEH: I guess. How... I don't know. I don't think... I think the wilderness is just... and clinging to Jesus. We have Him, no one else does. I minister to Muslim women and they don't have that relationship. We have it, but sometimes we forget we have that relationship, and we don't go to God in prayer. We don't cling to His word. We don't cling to Him. And I just, my encouragement is we have that we have the King of Kings, President of all Presidents, that we can access anytime we want to. And my encouragement is to do that, for us to spend more time accessing, and just focusing on that relationship that is... that will restore. MIKE: Mmm. I want to thank you for coming on board with us and sharing your story. And I just want to encourage you to keep doing what you're doing, because the truth does need to come out. So... NAGHMEH: Amen! And thank you for what you're doing. God bless. MIKE: Thanks! And thank you for joining us. And we'll talk to you next time. ANNOUNCER: Blazing Grace is a nonprofit international ministry for the sexually broken and the spouse. Please visit us at blazinggrace.org for information on Mike Genung's books, groups, counseling, or to have Mike speak at your organization. You can e-mail us at email@blazinggrace.org or call our office in Chandler, AZ at (719) 888-5144. Again, visit us at blazinggrace.org, e-mail us at email@blazinggrace.org, or call the office at (719) 888-5144. SPONSOR: This program was sponsored by Blazing Grace Ministries.

In September 2012, a news story broke about Pastor Saeed Abedini, an ordained minister with duel American-Iranian citizenship who was arrested in Iran. He had been involved with setting up house churches in Iran and was working on setting up an orphanage. In 2013 he was sentenced to eight years in prison where he was beaten and denied medical treatment. Saeed's former wife, Naghmeh, worked tirelessly for Saeed's release, which took place in 2016. Shortly before Saeed was released, Naghmeh revealed that Saeed had been addicted to pornography and physically, emotionally, and verbally abused her throughout their marriage. In this first of two episodes, Naghmeh shares her story. Episode Transcript SPONSOR: This program is sponsored by Blazing Grace Ministries. ANNOUNCER: This radio program is PG13. Parents strongly cautioned - some material may be inappropriate for children under the age of 13. Jesus's mission was to comfort those who mourn, bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and open prison doors for those who are bound. For those who want more than status quo Christianity has to offer, Blazing Grace Radio begins now. And here is your host, Mike Genung. MIKE GENUNG, HOST, BLAZING GRACE RADIO: Hey, Mike Genung here, and welcome back to Blazing Grace Radio. I'm coming to you from another 115 degree day here in Phoenix, AZ. I think this is like #21 in a row, with more to come! So in September 2012, a news story broke about Pastor Saeed Abedini. He was an ordained minister with dual American-Iranian citizenship and he was arrested in Iran. He had been involved in the past, with setting up house churches there, and was working on setting up an orphanage. Then in 2013, he was sentenced to 8 years in prison. And the stories coming out of that prison were pretty dark, where he was beaten, and denied medical care, and it was pretty rough treatment. And I remember watching that story back at that time and praying for his release. And his wife Naghmeh was... she seemed to be everywhere, petitioning for his release, and getting involved with the US government, and some big name Christian ministries got involved, and... and then Sabadini - or Abedini - was released from prison on January 16th, 2016. And then shortly afterward there were started... stories were starting to surface where he had been abusing his wife, and he was - he had some porn problems. And as we know in our ministry, those two can often go hand in hand, with porn and abuse. It could be physical, emotional or verbal abuse. So, today I have Saeed's former wife Naghmeh with me to tell her side of the story. She made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then-husband, Saeed Abedini. Through Saeed's imprisonment, Naghmeh was able to bring worldwide attention to the plight of persecuted Christians, and able to proclaim the Gospel to millions across the globe by speaking at human rights groups, major news outlets, the United Nations at Geneva, the European Parliament Congress, and she had personal meetings with both President Barack Obama and [President] Donald Trump. When it came to light that she had been abused throughout her marriage by her husband, the Christian community suddenly changed on her. So, Naghmeh, welcome to the program. NAGHMEH ABEDINI PANAHI, GUEST: Thank you for having me. MIKE: So let's get started, and have you share your story. NAGHMEH: Yeah, I, since I can... I became a Christian from Islam when I was nine years old. My passion had always been to missions and preaching Muslims for Christ. It wasn't until my husband, who was very abusive, went to prison in Iran, that God started building me up. Because up to that point I have been so abused, so controlled, that I wouldn't then rely on my own thinking. I was completely controlled by my husband, and his imprisonment is actually what set me free, where I was able to... I guess I drew close to the Lord, reading His word, and praying more. And through that time is when God revealed to me the abuse I was under and set me free. And, as you mentioned, porn was a big part of our marriage, and it was considered as "godly" to watch and to try to please my husband in a way that would... in a way, it was twisted to show that it was not sin, and that it was... you know, a way that I could serve my husband. MIKE: You talked about abuse. What did that look like? NAGHMEH: Well, it was very subtle. I didn't even... when I met Saeed in 2002, I had no idea what narcissism was, or even any clue about emotional or psychological abuse. I knew about physical abuse, but even then I thought it's someone that gets beaten up all the time and.... it started with, just when I was meeting him, it started with a lot of verbal putting me down, my looks, wanting me to change certain things about myself, where I had entered the relationship, I was very confident. I was becoming more and more... not confident and believing lies about myself and that I wasn't desirable. Also, around that time, it was the isolation. I didn't realize that's what it was, but just criticizing all my friends... At that time I was a missionary in Iran when I met Saeed, so I didn't have a whole bunch of friends, but I had made some friends. I had come to Iran about a year early before I met Saeed, so some friends. And then my family would visit, and he was undermining them as not being spiritual, as Saeed was… Saeed was very Pentecostal, casting out demons, and a lot of signs and wonders, and he was basically... really, because I did see a lot of signs and wonders, I guess, he made me really trust in him and not to go to my family members or friends that I used to go for council. So he... Saeed became the only source of truth in my life. And there was... there was a few physical... it was some pushing and shoving and... but it wasn't a full-on beating until about a year into our marriage. About a year and a half into our marriage is when the first physical abuse happened. But before then, there was a lot of pushing me away, isolating me. The silent treatment, which is abusive as well, not speaking to me for weeks or months, and or... days, weeks, or months, depending on how much he wanted to punish me, and me begging to talk to him. And yeah, just some, I guess some physical, but at that time I wouldn't have considered it abuse. Some pushing and shoving and yeah, that's how it was. Until about a year, we were so busy with the house church movement, pretty much when I met my husband, we... focused on, we were leading one of the largest house church movements in Iran, so we were busy building disciples. I was actually really busy with that, and traveling, and starting churches, and so our relationship was not so much the focus, even though I knew something was off. But we were so busy, until... November of 2005, we had to flee Iran. So three years. If I met Saeed in 2002, I didn't... I met Saeed in 2002, I didn't marry him until 2004. So about three years after we met and about a year after marriage, we had to flee Iran. We were getting arrested a lot, and... I personally had guns pointed to me and told to deny my faith, and it was just getting so intense that we believed that it would actually endanger the house churches if we stayed longer. And, so, we went to Dubai, and a missionary family... it was around Thanksgiving, and a missionary family had gone to America for sabbatical for six months. So they told us we could use their apartment in Dubai until Saeed could get a visa to America. And the first night that we landed there I was pregnant with my daughter, and I was so tired, I was throwing out... I was searching through the suitcase for my pajamas and Saeed got upset and said "You're making a mess," and I said "Who cares?" and that's when my first full-on beating happened was... MIKE: Oh. NAGHMEH: He just beat me, kicked me, punched me; head, stomach, everywhere, I was bruised, and I thought I was going to die. I crawled into the bathroom, and I mean I had bumps coming out of my head. I crawled into the bathroom and called his parents. I called my mom. They were, of course, his parents were back in Iran, and my parents were in America. And he never said sorry, I mean... he ended up saying it was just the demonic forces in Dubai that had made him do it, but never true repentance. And at that time I was pregnant with our first... child, our daughter. So, having come from the Middle East culture, and also the American culture, church culture of purity movement, where if a girl kisses a guy, she's lost her purity and you're not supposed to, you know... you're supposed to keep yourself for your husband, I felt like I was damaged goods. So I didn't see a way out, in terms of walking away from that marriage. I thought, you know, "I'm stuck and I'm also pregnant, I don't want to be a single mom." So I... from that moment on, I guess I learned my lesson? I was walking on eggshells and did everything not to upset him again. And we ended up coming to America and we had our daughter in 2006, and our son in 2008. So that's... that's my... that's before his imprisonment. And I ended up, I was working until... he, yeah, I was working and we were raising the kids until he... he was traveling back and forth to Iran starting in 2009, when my son was about a year old. And in 2012, he was arrested. And that's when my whole life changed, I guess, from what I thought was the worst thing that could have happened to me, ended up being... actually, God rescued me. MIKE: You met him in 2002. So in the two years that you courted, was there any clue of the physical abuse, or any type of abuse, or the pornography? NAGHMEH: No, he was so deceptive. No, because I, well now looking back, of course there was emotional abuse. There was spiritual abuse, he would use Bible verses, but not something... It was very subtle. And even with his porn addiction, he was very deceptive. We had satellite so we could watch TV shows that were outside of Iran, which sometimes they had kissing, and so when the scene would come up with people kissing, he would look away and I thought, "Wow, this is a really pure man that can't even watch... like, he doesn't want to watch that." So no, I... the porn stuff I had no idea. I actually thought, "Wow, this is a very pure person." I knew of... of his past that was not very... was... yeah, his past was not good. I didn't know about the... he didn't talk about any porn addiction, but I knew he had relationships, there was even an incident of... gang rape, and his behaviors towards women. But all of that, he would say, was before he became a Christian, and he'd become a different person. And so, yeah. I just thought he's a Paul. I would call him a Paul, because he has such a radical background, where he was trained by Hezbollah terrorist group to attack Israel, and then he was about to murder a pastor, and he got saved. And so... I just thought that's the past. He's... when I met him he was a baby Christian, probably two years in the Lord, and he seemed on fire. And so I didn't... his past didn't bother me. It wasn't til we came to America and I was pregnant with my daughter, and I would look next to my bed and he was gone. And, of course, I'm usually a sound sleeper, but when you're pregnant, you go to the bathroom a lot [laughs] So it was towards the end of my pregnancy, and when I would wake up, and then I'd catch him in our living room, which was, you know, a good walk from the bedroom. It was, it was... I would search for him, where could he be? And I would find him in the living room and... he was watching porn. And he would turn it off and pretend it didn't happen. And so that was my first wake up call of what's going on. And then when I had my daughter, when she was about 10 months old, I was pregnant again with my son, Jacob, and we... he was again, there was some abuse, physical abuse, where he had grabbed me and I called the police. He ended up being charged for domestic abuse. It was in 2007, because, yeah, because my son was born in 2008. So my pastor at that time suggested that we move in with my - or I move in with my parents. He said, "Get away, it's not a safe place," you know, "go somewhere away from him." And so that's when I moved in with my parents. And then just over time he left... you know, I don't want to go into the details. There was a season where he left that then he came back, and ended up actually weaselling himself back into my parents house, coming back. And again, that's when it came up. It was... my parents now would walk in, and he had the TV on and he was watching porn, and he'd get so embarrassed and turn it off. And then it became to a point where he would just, if I walked in... he ended up watching it in the playroom, which was not an area my parents would normally come up at, because it was like the second floor. But then I would walk in, he was watching it, and it became to a point where he was no longer ashamed. He was just like, "Uh huh. I'm watching it. It's not sin." And so I didn't know, I guess, what to say to that. He had good arguments that when he was going to... Bible school, I guess they talked about sexually learning to do things, and it was okay to do things in marriage, and they had, he had taken a class on Song of Solomon. And so he was basically justifying it. And then soon... well, yeah, after my son was born, then he was demanding it. He was saying, "We need to watch it, and you need to do things like I tell you to do." And I was resisting watching it. I watched it a few times, but I couldn't stomach it. I just... the Holy Spirit within me was just so much against it. So I refused to watch it, but then he was watching it without shame. And but... and then he was, because of his porn addiction, sexually abusing me. He's just like wanting to do certain things that I didn't want to do. He wanted, you know, certain positions, and forceful, and aggressive, and... which again, at that time I wouldn't have labeled as sexual abuse. But it was. It was... very forceful, and demanding, and not listening to my... I guess my... I'm not wanting, you know, certain things and... so, but at that time I didn't see any of that as abuse, I just thought I have a hard marriage, and I didn't know what to do with it. So yeah. MIKE: You mentioned something about a rape in his past? NAGHMEH: Yeah, he had mentioned... he had mentioned that as a young boy in Iran, they had... it was rape. That he had a relationship with older women and younger women, but he mentioned a specific situation where there was a street girl. I don't know if she was a prostitute or if she was... she was being.... she was sex slavery or whatever her situation was, but she was pretty young, probably a teenager, and he was 18-20, because he got saved at 20. So he was... she was definitely much younger, and they kind of gang raped her. It was him and a group of friends, and... at that time when he told me I was, we were still dating, and so I couldn't even, I had to have no sexual relationship, I couldn't even fathom what he was saying, and... I... I didn't realize the red flag of... a person, basically raping, what that, another human being, what that would mean. MIKE: Mhmm. NAGHMEH: And then years later, I... other women approached me and talked to me, and I realized he's done that to many, many people, even in our house churches. He would pray for people, he would turn off the light, and he would pray for people and they would fall. Like Benny Hin. He was... Benny Hin was Saeed's hero. And later, so many girls at my church said he was fondling with them, and he was sexually molesting them. And when they were on the ground and everyone else's eyes were shut, Saeed was the only one praying and moving around, and praying for people. And years later, people start coming forward and saying that he was sexually abusing them and had used that opportunity to molest them, and things like that. MIKE: Mhmm [sighs] NAGHMEH: But it wasn't until after I came out with the abuse that all these other people started coming to me about things that they had seen. I'd even had other pastors, house church pastors, come forward to me and said, "Now that you say it, like I'd noticed this and this and this, and I didn't know if I was seeing it correctly, but Saeed was doing all this stuff with these girls," and... so until the abuse and his sexual addiction became known to me, and I even understood how damaging, like you said, a porn addiction is, and how it goes hand in hand with abuse, because a woman is no longer viewed as a human being, that they're objectified so... so usually porn addiction and abuse usually go hand in hand... I didn't know any of that until my eyes were opened up to abuse. And, so yeah, and the way they were opened up was when Saeed was in prison. So in 2012, as you said, Saeed was arrested. And at that time, right before his arrest, I remember crying out to the Lord because I could barely read my Bible. I could barely pray. The Bible was used to manipulate me, to control me - MIKE: Mmm. NAGHMEH: - to call me a bad wife. So I couldn't even read God's word because anytime I opened it, it was condemning. It was oppressive. And so when Saeed was arrested, I start opening up the word of God and I start praying. But before his arrest, I remember crying out and asking God to help with the marriage. I thought, "this is going to be my life for the rest of my life. This is going to be my marriage for the rest of my life." Saeed had been in a hotel room, before his arrest, with another woman. And I had called and she had picked up, and I became hysterical. And instead of apologizing, he said I'm crazy and I need to go see a doctor because I was hysterical that another woman - MIKE: Mmm. NAGHMEH: - answered the phone in his hotel. And so at that time, I remember thinking, "Wow, like he's saying I'm crazy for thinking that he cheated on me? They're just sleeping in the same room?" And I thought, this is my... I didn't even see a way out. I never thought divorce would be an option. So I remember crying out to the Lord, like, what's going on? Lord is, you know, and for the first time, just pouring my heart out to the Lord. And then a few hours later, both this girl and my husband were arrested and put in the prison, or actually put under house arrest first, and then put in prison. And from that moment on, I just start praying and reading my Bible. And in the effort of trying to get my husband out, God was building my confidence in Him and growing my walk with Him. And in 2015, I was speaking at a mega church in North Carolina, and the pastor's name was David Chadwick, Pastor David Chadwick. And he... I just... Saeed had a smartphone inside of the prison, and he had gotten a smartphone about a year before his release and he was messaging me, he was seeing how famous he was getting - MIKE: Mmm. NAGHMEH: - and I noticed he was getting access to my Amazon account, and he was watching things like "50 Shades of Gay", which I clicked on and it was just... it was making me like sick to my stomach, the sexual content. And so I noticed he's definitely watching porn again, so I mean, from Iranian prison, and then and it was seemed like there was a lot of more gay porn which made me wonder about what's happening in prison. And then I finally, I didn't share that part of the sexual stuff, because I was so ashamed. I didn't share it with the pastor, but I shared with him, like, "I don't understand. Saeed has a phone inside of the prison and he's sending me really rude messages saying me I'm a whore, I'm a... I'm a Jezebel," and so this pastor looked at me, and I shared everything of what has happened in our marriage, and I couldn't make sense of why Saeed was putting me down when I was trying so hard to get him out. Later it made sense that Saeed was noticing that I was becoming confident, I wasn't the same girl as I was before, where I would just shrivel up and submit to him. So this pastor, after I mentioned everything, and I showed him some of the text messages, he looked at me. He said "Naghmeh, you know, I'm not just a pastor." And I said, "No, I didn't know that." He said. "I'm a doctor." I - MIKE: Naghmeh, Naghmeh I need you to, I need to interrupt for a moment because we're out of time for this first show. But your story is very powerful, and we're going to continue this interview with Nagmeh next week, so I encourage you to join us. And then we'll talk to you next week. ANNOUNCER: Blazing Grace is a nonprofit international ministry for the sexually broken and the spouse. Please visit us at blazinggrace.org for information on Mike Genung's books, groups, counseling, or to have Mike speak at your organization. You can e-mail us at email@blazinggrace.org or call our office in Chandler, AZ at 719-888-5144. Again, visit us at blazinggrace.org, e-mail us at email@blazinggrace.org, or call the office at 719-888-5144. SPONSOR: This program was sponsored by Blazing Grace Ministries.

Guest Bios Show Transcript For years, Naghmeh Panahi heroically advocated for the release of her husband—Iranian-American pastor, Saeed Abedini—from an Iranian prison. Yet months before his release, Naghmeh revealed a dark secret: for years, Saeed had been physically, emotionally, and sexually abusing her. Yet rather than rallying to support this battered wife, Naghmeh says the Christian community attacked her. And she says some—including Franklin Graham and Jay Sekulow—relentlessly pressured her to reconcile with her abusive husband, or to even lie about what happened.

Guest Bios Show Transcript From the fall of 2012 through 2015, imprisoned Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini and his wife, Naghmeh, were the public face of persecuted Christians. As part of a global #SaveSaeed campaign, millions of dollars were raised, and Saeed was freed from prison in January 2016. Yet when Naghmeh revealed that she'd been abused by her husband, she went from being the darling of the Christian community to an outcast.

Guest Bios Show Transcript When Jason Meyer, John Piper's successor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, recently resigned, he claimed that a “neo-fundamentalism” had crept into the church. Others throughout evangelicalism have cited similar opposing factions in the church—white nationalists, “woke” Christians, and ex-evangelicals, for example. But what are these factions? And why is the evangelical movement—once united by firm theological convictions—now splitting apart? On this edition of The Roys Report, we explore the answers with Michael Graham and Skyler Flowers, two pastors who have authored a groundbreaking article entitled, “The Six-Way Fracturing of Evangelicalism.” Julie also presents new evidence, including leaked emails, revealing the deep divisions over racial and cultural issues at Bethlehem Baptist, which have led to major upheaval at the church.

Naghmeh gained instant fame when her then husband Saeed Abedini was jailed in Iran for his Christian faith. As an American pastor who was jailed in Iran, it sparked an international outcry against Christian persecution. President Obama and the State Department were able to successfully work a deal with Iran to free Saeed. But there was a dark secret. Saeed had been abusing Naghmeh, and the abuse intensified when he was jailed. Even from jail he would call her a whore and Jezebel, accusing her of stealing his fame. Naghmeh found that, as long as she was married and remained silent about the abuse, she had the full support of the media and big-name Christian leaders. When she decided she could no longer remain silent, she was accused by those same leaders of being unfaithful to Saeed. Others who were once supportive were now completely silent. Naghmeh shares her wisdom for how she navigated these trying times and how she leaned on God to spare her life and gain freedom from abuse. To learn more about abuse in the church and how to respond, see my book The Devil Inside: How my minister father molested kids in our home and church for decades and how I finally stopped him:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1950948617/ref=cm_sw_su_dpIntro-- Film Glitch by Snowflake (c) copyright 2017 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/snowflake/56350 Ft: reusenoiseOutro-- I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/ramblinglibrarian/41284

Guest Bios Show Transcript Natalie Hoffman spent more than 10 years at Bethlehem Baptist Church—the church where John Piper pastored for over 30 years. During that time, she says she was stuck in an abusive marriage. Yet rather than helping her, she says Bethlehem blamed and shamed her, and left her suicidal. On this edition of The Roys Report, Natalie Hoffman joins Julie to tell her story—an account that's extremely relevant, given current events at Bethlehem.

Guest Bios Show Transcript Have Scriptures been twisted to keep women in bondage—and to promote a patriarchy movement that's grossly misogynist? On this edition of The Roys Report, author Rebecca Davis joins Julie to examine this movement and the Scriptures used to support it. Diving into Rebecca's book series on Untwisting Scriptures That Were Used to Tie You Up, Gag You, and Tangle Your Mind, their talk centers on book two in the series entitled: Patriarchy and Authority.

Naghmeh Panahi made international news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then-husband, Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his work as a pastor. However, behind the scenes, her husband had a long history of domestic abuse, and Naghmeh's journey out of oppression would eventually lead to her role today as a speaker, Bible teacher and an executive director of the Tahrir Alnisa Foundation, where she helps abused women escape and recover from domestic and religiously motivated violence. In this episode, Naghmeh shares her story, the dynamics of domestic abuse and coercive control, the complex reasons why it's so hard to get out, the importance of siding with the oppressed instead of staying silent, and her advice on being a voice of influence in a diverse setting. Learn about how our Team Performance System and Personal Brand Strategy can Help You Serve Well and Sell More at  www.voiceofinfluence.net   Read the transcript here:   https://www.voiceofinfluence.net/198 Give and receive feedback that makes a difference! Register for our 20 minute Deep Impact Method video course here:  www.voiceofinfluence.net/deepimpact

Naghmeh Panahi is a speaker, a Bible teacher, and an executive director for the TAF Foundation; an organization that helps abused women escape and recover religiously motivated violence, both in the form of domestic violence and in the form of religious persecution. Naghmeh made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then-husband and pastor at the time, Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith. Unfortunately, her story is not an easy one to hear because it turns out that she was in an abusive marriage, and eventually they got divorced. In this episode, Naghmeh shares her story, the complexities that go with what it’s like to be in a situation of oppression, the complex reasons why it’s so hard to get out, the importance of siding with the oppressed instead of staying silent, and her advice on being a voice of influence in a diverse setting.

Scripture tells us that we are heirs with Christ if we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. But few of us can say we have truly suffered persecution for Christ the way believers in scripture did. Pastor Saeed Abedini is one of those few and his story is compelling. Join host Jerrad Lopes as he talks with Pastor Saeed about coming to Christ, his four-year imprisonment in Iran for sharing his faith and the controversies that have arisen since his release. If you followed Pastor Saeed's story in the media, this episode is your chance to hear his firsthand account and learn the story behind the headlines. Host: Jerrad Lopes Guest: Saeed Abedini, an Iranian American Christian pastor who was imprisoned in Iran for threatening “national security” for being a Christian and for sharing his faith with Muslims. Mentioned during the episode: · Matthew 6:33: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Connect with Dad Tired: · To subscribe on iOS, go to our iTunes page and subscribe. · Leave an iTunes review, this lets us and others know what you think and increases the chance that other dads will find us. · Like and Follow Dad Tired on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates. · Join our Dad Tired closed Facebook group for men who are trying to figure out how to be better disciples, husbands, fathers, and men. Show notes provided by Dad Tired contributor Jared Meade.

Dec 7- 2016 Saeed Abedini is an Iranian American Christian pastor, and a former Muslim, who was imprisoned in Iran. He was initially incarcerated and sentenced to eight years in prison, on charges of undermining national security through religious gatherings in Christian homes in Iran. On January 16, 2016, he was released from prison.

This is a follow-up story about Pastor Saeed Abedini, who was recently freed from Iranian prison. But now he’s wondering if his freedom is all a sham. Find out why.

Pastor spends 3 1/2 years in prison in Iran, after being released he shares his story with us. Contact info- http://pastorsaeedministries.com/

Brant Can't Dress Himself, Your Dream Half Time Show, A Final Word on Saeed Abedini, Spouse Week, Wanting To Be Famous, When the Police Come Because of your Singing, Who Do You Say Jesus Is?, Survival Skills for 18-year olds, Step-Parents, Writing People Off, Miming the News, Multi-Tasking, Fun At Work Week   Quotes:   "Undiagnosible. That's Producer Sherri"   "Do you really think Gandalf would beat Obi Wan-Kenobi?"   "I have real hope because of who Jesus is."   "Sometimes the most loving thing  you can do for a person is NOT put them on a pedal stool."   "The ladies at the Macy's counter showed me how to do my mime make-up better."

This post-cruise episode of Drunk Ex-Pastors (featuring a slightly under-the-weather Catholic and an at-death’s-door agnostic) begins with a tale about a near-fatal “three-hour tour” and a free lesson in how to make a drug cocktail that sounds delicious and will for sure kill you. We break down Palin’s eloquent endorsement of Donald Trump and then turn our attention to the ongoing armed and illegal occupation of government lands in Oregon by law-abiding patriots, which leads us into a discussion of the role of civil disobedience in America’s history. We then spend some time talking about the miraculous release of American pastor Saeed Abedini from an Iranian prison by Barack Obama and Jesus. Speaking of swarthy people, the Oscars nominated zero of them. We discuss how racist this apparently is, as well as how racist we are when no one’s watching. Christian’s bieber involves David Bowie “putting on his red shoes and dancing the blues” in hell, while Jason is biebered by not being allowed to call the cops on more people. Also, this episode may seem short, but Jason did edit out about 45 minutes of coughing.

This week, Cody and Joe man the fort while Shelley is away and celebrate briefly the release of Saeed Abedini from captivity. For more Geeks Under Grace:http://www.geeksundergrace.comhttp://www.youtube.com/geeksundergracehttp://www.youtube.com/geeksundergracegaminghttp://www.twitter.com/geeksundergracehttp://www.twitch.tv/geeksundergrace  For more Cody Armour:http://twitter.com/CodyArmour For more Joe Morgan:http://twitter.com/JoeKnowsGameshttp://www.twitch.tv/righteousfurygaminghttp://twitter.com/righteousfuryghttp://www.hitbox.tv/righteousfurygaminghttps://gaming.youtube.com/channel/UCvbAv8jROBkaDw3GfpnDEhg/live For more Shelley Waltar:http://twitter.com/theshellshock24http://www.twitch.tv/shellshock24

After countless prayers, Iran finally set Pastor Saeed Abedini free from prison, along with three other American citizens. Listen to find out more about this praise report after this message.

With the release of Saeed Abedini, it’s important for Christians not to forget the persecuted church.

With the release of Saeed Abedini, it's important for Christians not to forget the persecuted church.

Mime Monday, Come Clean with God, No Car Reunion, Slides on a Sunday Morning, In Jesus Name, Prayer, No One Likes Candy Corn, Saeed Abedini, I Saw The Light, New Visitors in Church, Survival School, God Knows Your Worse, Stop Being Defensive, Forgiveness   Quotes:   "When I mime the Oak Ridge Boys, people get it confused with the Statler Brothers. That's my challenge as a mime"   "Some people will go to the wall and not humble themselves before God"   "I can come confidently to God as a father, in Jesus name"   "No one likes candy corn. The pieces congeal together into a big wax ball with the entire dish at the end"

Baby Moose Update, Hiding Brant, He's the Only Way, NFL Hand-off, The Monday Song, Mason and Grace, Welcome to the Show, Save the Alien Planet, The Moon and Moths, Saeed Abedini, The $5 Pillow, When God Speaks   Quotes:   "God's way is not the better way, it's the only way"   "My Mom's puppet ministry filed a brief against my baby moose idea"   "God sets us on the finish line and gives us credit for making it when He carried us the whole way"   "It's the Gladiator and Regina King Show"   "I can't speak on the radio so I resort to gestures"

Used Car Purchases, Jesus/Masculinity, 1919 vs. 1918, Muppet Show, FB Kangaroo Pic, Money, Introverts vs. Extroverts, Social Tips, Saeed Abedini, Pumpkin Spice Latte Validation, Because It's True, Hobbit Week,  Planting/Harvesting   Quotes:   "The engine would have to be missing and there would have to be a box of raccoon under the hood. That's the only way I'd know there was a problem with the car."   "I won't use my power to crush people. I will use my power to set people free. That would be masculinity according to Jesus."   "Is there something wrong with just being innocent and joyful?" "Extroverts, when introverts ignore you, that's how you know they love you."   "Even if we're not entertaining to you...you have to admit our effort level is high.  It's a 'bless their hearts' type of situation."

We're Not Good, LotR Football Picks, LotR Charter School, The Mitochondria Fantasy Football Team, Moving Stuff, When You Have a Gentleman, Prayer, Saeed Abedini, Technology Stress, We Were Made to Work, History Segment: D Batteries

Doug Talks today about a blog post on Desiring God called "How Do You Stay Christian on Campus?". There is also a prayer vigil for Saeed on September 26.

We're All Hypocrites, The Covered Dish, Buying A House, Offended in a Parking Lot, We're NOT Good People, The Online Goat Selector, Hoarders Show, Late People, Introverts Advice, Self Righteousness, Brant in the Wrong Car, No Moral Scoreboard, Gufaw, Saeed Abedini

Religious People Study, Astronauts With Bike Baskets, Spiritual Hairstyles, You're Not Alone, Saeed Abedini, Guys Dancing, Faith Clothes, Elevator to Space, Lost and Found Stories, Chased by a Rooster, Airplane Role Play, Bring It All   Quotes:   "God is not a computer in the sky or a cosmic sheriff"   "Jesus presumes that we would be one with our brothers and sisters who are suffering"   "When dancing on the dance floor I always approach with the attitude to win. Win the thing."   "I have a box of Sham-wows. I have no idea what to do with it."   "There's something really compelling about being redeemed"

What's the Ultimate Thing?, New to the Show, Sleeve Strategy at an Interview, Something To Do With Your Life, Monday Song, How God Identifies Himself, The Hitchbot, Saeed Abedini, Where is God in Suffering, He's Holding Us Together, Brant Is EXACTLY What You Think, How God Sees Us   Quotes:   "For job interviews there is a certain sleeve strategy ."   "For me, I'm making the ultimate thing Jesus. Everything else can and will leave you."   "Sherri is like a filter for the show that can't stop everything."   "God is good. When I have to put all my chips on one space, it's that."   "Join me in rethinking every thing and living in light of the fact that God loves you."

The Nordstrom Shirt, When We're Hard Headed, Songs That Make You Cry, The Monday Song, Welcoming Misfits, Teacher Guilt, Cool Is Boring, Saeed Abedini, Wrong Levis, Going to the Dentist   Quotes:   "God uses wounded people. It's the only kind of people He'll use"   "Come sit at our table. We're not the host and we can hardly leave you out if He let US in"   "If you're a $1,200 t-shirt person, I'm not making fun of you. In fact, we'd like your monthly support at this station"   "The group Hanson are my bitter enemies"

Pastor Saeed Abedini has been a prisoner in one of the worst Iranian prisons for three years. His wife, Naghmeh, shares the family's struggle and the hope that they continue to hold to. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thechurchboys/message

Fake News Stories, Cow Appreciation Day, When You Get Older, Brant an the Emu, Can God Contradict You?, Brant the Former Truck Guy, Going to the State Fair, Saeed Abedini, Loving Without Truth and Giving Truth Without Love, Brant's Bike With a Basket, Church Insecurity   Quotes:   "That cat meme was photo shopped"   "I take a little time each day to think about cows"   "The decisions you're  making now form who you are later"   "God, will I see my truck in heaven?"   "Being loving without being truthful makes you self indulgent"

Saeed Abedini, Sesame Street, Selling Brant's Truck, I Saw the Light, Knowledge vs. Love, Brant's Audio Book, Show Uniforms, When People Are Wrong, Arguing at Jiffy Lube   Quotes:   "There are certain unalienable rights that Uncle Brant has be given in the Bill of Rights, kids."   "All you need is some bluegrass all up in your grill...so to speak..."   "Jesus deliberately chose fishermen and then set them to work quickly."   "I'm glad I agreed with me."   "The Bible says our hearts are deceitful. Our heart doesn't deceive others....it deceives us."

Birds Are Our Friends, Sock Swap, Never Too Late, Night To Shine, Dating Abe Lincoln, Anger On Behalf Of Others, Dad's Intuition, Saeed Abedini, What About Eternity   Quotes:   "You wouldn't date Abe Lincoln if he were alive?"   "Birds are trying to be our friends and we're screaming and running away"   "I have Dad's Intuition. I'm shocked. I didn't know I had it. It's pretty impressive"   "When you let go of your anger, you're better off for it"   "God is extremely creative. He knows how to throw a party"

Welcome Renegade Nation Listen Up Not to demean the 9 killed in Charleston, SC, but why do American Christians grieve selectively? Do they not realize blood of millions of Christians are on their hands who die daily worldwide because their tax dollars, debt, and willful ignorance pay for it? What about the "Christians" who support Jeb Bush, who stubbornly supports Common Core, which teaches Islam throughout public schools? Or question his wealth rooted in generations of financial profits from war and their holy alliance with the Saudis? Public prayer for Charleston is no different than the pharisees who loved to pray publicly but did nothing about human suffering. Drive a few miles north of Charleston to find one of the only two Shari'a compliant towns in America called Holy Islamville. Wake up South Carolina. You have bigger problems than your street names or the confederate flag. Google pastors Saeed Abedini or Umar Mulinde or James McConnell. Those are just a few to "pray for." Or better yet for everyone who voted for or gave money to Lindsey Graham ask him about his love affair with Qatar and how much money he has taken from the very people funding and training ISIS, which is killing Christians. Thanks for Listening Bethany http://www.bethanyblankley.com

Making Friends, The Underdog Hall of Fame, Apple Pie and Cheddar, The Miss-Spelling Bee, Saeed Abedini, Supernatural Peace, Survival School, The Spinning House   Quotes:   "This is gonna hurt, isn't it?"   "Sherri's mom has all the characteristics of Sherri without the edge."   "God promises us supernatural peace in the worst circumstances if we turn towards Him"   "Survival School is appreciated though never requested."

New to the Show, Attention Span, Phone People, When You Mess Up, You're Welcome Here, Alien Planet, God As Doctor, Not As Strong As You Think You Are, Rules of the Show, The Voice(Mail), Saeed Abedini, Marriage Advice, The Baby Goat Farm   Quotes:   "God specializes in taking your mess-ups and making something beautiful out of them"   "Jesus is convinced of His ability to change us"   "God is the doctor and he tells me I have a major problem...I'm addicted to myself. And it might require surgery, and I'm OK with that."   "Sherri, how could you question the need for a baby goat?"

New Facial Hair, Honorary Doctorates, Karaoke Church, NPR Puppet Stealing, Saeed Abedini, "Are You A Christian" Poll, Octagon of Knowledge, Worry, The Podcast and Blues Guitar   Quotes:   "We're giving away Honorary Doctorates on the show today like candy"   "NPR is stealing from us and renaming our puppets"   "When I became a believer I gave my life away. So what can you take from me?"   "Without the music, I'm just a guy in a unitard"   "Who accredits the people that accredit the people that accredit? We don't know."

Chancellor of Patrick Henry College, Mike Farris, talks about how the Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage could affect religious institutions (1:05. President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Albert Mohler takes a closer look at the authority of Scripture (7:55). Greg Yoder of Mission Network News gives an update on the earthquakes in Nepal (12:55). Saeed Abedini, the Christian thrown in an Iranian prison for sharing Christ, just spent his 35 birthday in captivity. His wife joined the Frank Sontag Show (17:10). Pastor Greg Allen of Bethany Bible Church talks about how prayer led to the Great Awakenings (21:50). Bill Graham's daughter, Anne Graham Lotz, is giving the distress call for prayer (27:50). Pastor Rich Jones shares how he turned to God after his daughter was murdered (35:35).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acts 21:1-16 - Pastor Sean compares Saeed Abedini's current struggle and situation to that of Paul. For more info: http://beheardproject.com/saeed

Today is Imprisoned Pastor Saeed's Birthday which is also the National Day of Prayer. I read a letter he wrote to America. ACLJ article here: http://goo.gl/DWACD4 ConradRocks.net

Today is Imprisoned Pastor Saeed's Birthday which is also the National Day of Prayer. I read a letter he wrote to America. ACLJ article here: http://goo.gl/DWACD4 ConradRocks.net

Baltimore Riots and the Social Media, The Unoffendable Hall of Fame, Social Suaveness Tip, Gossip, Non-Awesome Super Powers, How God Feels Love, Colonel Cuddly, Saeed Abedini, D.L. Hughely Son with Asperger's   Quotes:   "You don't have to 'take' offense. You can choose not to"   "Something supernatural happens when you realize you've been given unmerited favor that you don't deserve: Grace"   "I have a subtle suaveness"   "When I gossip, I'm uncovering someone instead of covering them the way Jesus did with me."

Remembering Life Events, One-Job Epic Fail, Anger, Armed with a Fact, Think on These Things, Brant's Book Release Party, Saeed Abedini, Venting Anger, Presume    Quotes:   "Remind yourself of what's true. That's what helps with worries. God loves you and He's in control"   "Basically we're skeet shooting my ideas. I send them up and they're shot down immediately"   "It's nothing but Thurston Howell stuff and frankly I'm sick of it"   "I have to presume the best of people's intentions"

Grace vs. Karma, Thief on the Cross, Bracket of Awesomeness, Brant's on Fire, Clapping Sonogram, Marketing Your Non-Awesome Car, Saeed Abedini, Brant Hansen Early Morning Dance Party, A Tired Mom, Save the Alien Planet, Not Keeping Anger   Quotes:   "My teeth are so clean, I can no longer stand up."   "Grace destroys karma."   "Sherri's heart is filled with hate towards puppets. Is that scriptually ok?"   "Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap."   "They are like what we would call shoulders"

Love Them, The Shaggy DA, Brackets of Awesomeness, Saeed Abedini, Viking Show Extras, Survival School, The Great Beard, No Moral Scoreboard, When You Get Older, Dreamworks Boycott, God and Our Character   Quotes:   "I still love them even if they don't love me"   "Why is this shaggy dog allowed to hold public office?"   "I'll be the guy screaming "Let the buyer beware" as we go into battle"   "You need to check things in your character now, so that you want be light years off from where you want to be later"

The Irish Accent, Bracket of Awesomeness, Taking Compliments, We Need to Talk, Being Corrected, Best Husband Names, Saeed Abedini

Saeed Abedini remains imprisoned in Iran, and in his recent Christmas letter, he noted that his jailers threatened him, and made him take down his lone Christmas decoration: A paper cross. We’d like to show him, and his wife, Nagheh, and kids, that he is not forgotten. So how about putting your own

This is the podcast that might just make you question what you are doing for the Gospel. Pete and Peyton interview Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini. Pastor Saeed was tried and sentenced to 8 years in prison for spreading the news of Jesus Christ to Muslims in Iran. This is something that the Iranian government admits in not illegal by it's own laws, or international law. The spread of Christianity is considered a threat to the Iranian national security.  On this podcast, you will hear how God is using this horrible situation for His glory.

Naghmeh Abedini - Wife of Saeed Abedini at Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel, Yucca Valley, CA. Sunday, May 19th. Naghmeh is the wife of the American pastor who is being held in prision in Iran under terrible conditions for his faith in Jesus Christ.